One of the things I really enjoy about fall is visiting my favorite apple farm, Bellewood Acres, and stocking up on all varieties of apples. Bellewood grows several unusual varieties including Tsugaru, Honeycrisp and Zestar. In an effort to use my bounty of Zestars before we head back to the farm tomorrow to stock up on Honeycrisps, I came up with this recipe tonight. It was a winner with the family and was a great way to use an apple and sneak some fruit into a meal.
It is stuffed with cheese, but really, it's not THAT much so I'm counting it as dairy and calling it good. We ate this with homemade mashed potatoes and a zucchini, red pepper & onion stir fry. I love the crispiness of the coating and the way the gouda and apples blend with each other. I used my zestar apples for this recipes, but I'm sure that a granny smith would lend a similar taste.
Apple & Gouda Stuffed Chicken Breasts
4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
2 or 3 ounces of smoked gouda shredded or sliced thinly (If you're in the NW, look for Appel Farms. It's amazing.)
1 apple, sliced thinly
2 cups crushed herb salad croutons
Preheat oven to 425. Butterfly the chicken breasts or slice almost through to make a pocket. Stuff each chicken breast with 1/4 of the gouda and apple slices. Place in 9x13 dish. Sprinkle with crushed croutons. Bake about 25-30 minutes or until juices run clear.
It's really simple, but it looks and tastes pretty special. Enjoy!
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