Apple and brie stuffed chicken is an easy skillet chicken recipe with melty, soft brie cheese and tart green apples, plus a delicious pan sauce made from the juices. This easy family-friendly dish is perfect for a yummy fall dinner!
This post has been updated with new photos.
You guys know we love some stuffed chicken in my house right?
I make it A LOT and love trying out all kinds of variations.
Spinach stuffed chicken is a great go-to any night of the week. And I love making chicken breasts stuffed with prosciutto, spinach and mozzarella for a fancier dinner, like a date night in or for company.
My kids are especially partial to pizza stuffed chicken and cheesy Mexican stuffed chicken breasts.
Well, today's apple and brie stuffed chicken is one we ALL adored!
This chicken dinner is full of melty soft brie cheese and tart apple slices, which is such a good combination.
Plus it's got a brushed mustard coating on the outside that gets a little bit crispy in the pan and also helps make the most delicious savory pan sauce.
And no work needed for the pan sauce either - it's just made from the condensation over the pan as it's covered and cooking. Gotta love that!
It's perfect for a delicious fall chicken dinner the whole family will love!
So let's get cooking.
Ingredient Notes:
Chicken: It helps to have decent sized chicken breasts, not the super thin ones or perfectly portioned ones, since you'll have to slice them across in half to stuff them.
Apple: I prefer using a tart green apple like a Granny Smith for this recipe. It adds a good contrast to the creamy brie. However, you could substitute another apple variety if you prefer.
Spinach: The spinach or arugula here is optional. It adds a pretty layer but doesn't contribute much to the overall flavor, so feel free to skip if you would like.
Thyme: The thyme is also optional. It adds a nice earthy, herby flavor but I've left it out before and this was still delicious.
Mustard: I like the combo of Dijon and coarse grain mustard, but you can use all Dijon mustard if that's all you have on hand.
Oh, and if you are new to stuffed chicken, go check out my post on how to butterfly chicken breasts. It's got some step-by-step photos that are really helpful with how to cut the chicken open.
Also, I should mention that I don't secure my chicken breasts with toothpicks or string before baking. I find that butterflying them and just folding them back over is sufficient.
Also, I'm lazy like that.
If yours look like they might want to fall apart, feel free to add a few toothpicks.
This recipe is made in the skillet, but I often bake my stuffed chicken recipes.
It takes a little longer to make stuffed chicken in the oven, but it is hands off, which can be nice some nights. I included instructions in the recipe card if you want to cook it that way instead.
The downside to that is you won't have the crazy yummy pan sauce that you get when you make this stovetop in a skillet.
I hope you give these cheesy stuffed chicken breasts a try for a yummy taste of fall, made easy.
Enjoy and happy cooking!
XO,
Kathryn
P.S. Check out these other 30-minute chicken dinners for more inspiration!
Apple and Brie Stuffed Chicken
Ingredients
- 4 (6 oz.) boneless, skinless chicken breasts
- Heaping ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- ⅓ teaspoon black pepper
- ½ teaspoon dried thyme (for about 2 teaspoons chopped fresh thyme)
- Handful of baby spinach or arugula (optional)
- ½ green apple, thinly sliced (about 12 slices)
- ½ wheel of brie cheese, cut into slices (about 12 slices)
- 2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
- 1 heaping tablespoon coarse ground mustard
- 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
Instructions
- Butterfly the chicken breasts by cutting them horizontally so that they open up like a book and are attached on one side. (See more details and step-by-step photos on how to butterfly chicken if it's your first time.)
- Sprinkle the insides of the chicken breasts with salt, black pepper and thyme. Place the spinach or arugula (just a few pieces on each chicken breast to create an even bottom layer) on one side of each of the butterflied chicken breasts. Top with apple slices and brie cheese slices, using about 3 slices of each for each chicken breast.
- Fold each chicken breast over to close it up. (I don't bother with toothpicks but you can secure yours if you'd like.)
- In a small bowl, mix together the mustards and brush half on the tops of the chicken breasts.
- Heat oil in a large skillet over medium high heat. Add the chicken breasts, mustard side down in the pan. Brush the other side with the remaining mustard mixture.
- Sear the chicken breasts for 3-4 minutes on each side, until well browned, flipping carefully so all the fillings stay inside.
- After both sides are seared, cover the pan, reduce the heat to just under medium and cook until the chicken breasts are cooked through, about 5-8 minutes depending on the thickness of your chicken breasts.
- Plate the chicken breasts and serve hot with extra pan sauce spooned over top.
Notes
- Preheat the oven to 375.
- Prepare the chicken breasts as instructed above.
- Instead of searing in a pan, however, place the mustard-brushed chicken breasts onto a foil-lined baking sheet (for easy clean-up). Drizzle the tops with the olive oil (or spray with cooking spray).
- Bake at 375 for 30-35 minutes, until the chicken breasts are cooked through. It helps to use a thermometer to check that they've gotten to 165. I love this digital one.
- Note: The downside to this cooking method is you won't have that delicious pan sauce. But it is more hands off if you need that option.
Nutrition
Want help to make this into a complete meal? I got you.
Serving Ideas:
We love this chicken served over steamed brown rice. It's especially delicious with extras of the amazing pan sauce spooned over top of everything.
White rice or quinoa would be good too. (Even cauliflower rice for a low-carb option.)
For a veggie side, you could do a simple green salad, steamed asparagus, broccoli or green beans, or roast a mix of vegetables in the oven.
Roasted Brussels sprouts (with bacon!) would be a great pairing too. Great fall flavors here.
Jo says
Wow. I can’t wait to try this at my home. It sounds so fall-y and perfect for the season. Maybe with some mulled cider too? Thanks
Kathryn Doherty says
I hope you love it! Sounds like a great pairing idea too! 😊
Jo says
We loved it— made it twice now. Wahoo. Success is mine (and yours of course)!
Kathryn Doherty says
Yay, I'm so happy you loved this recipe! Thanks so much for sharing! 😊
Michelle says
Soooo yummy! My husband and I devoured this dish!
Kathryn Doherty says
Yay! I'm so happy to hear that! 😊
Andi says
Tried this and all the Brie melted out on the pan. Suggestions?.
Kathryn Doherty says
Hi Andi! I haven't had that problem, but you could try cutting a smaller pocket in your chicken, instead of butterflying it, to keep the cheese a bit more contained. Or you could use toothpicks to help secure the chicken and keep it closed while cooking. I hope that helps!
Veronica says
These flavors are in perfect harmony! We butterflied and seared, then added spinach, apples, and brie before putting (cast iron) skillet in oven at 425 about 8 mins. Folding over can get messy so we decided to avoid it, haha. Next time I will wilt a bunch of spinach and serve under the chicken, with only apples and brie baked up in oven on top of chicken. Delicious and QUICK! Thanks so much!
Kathryn Doherty says
I'm so happy to hear you loved it!! Love the spinach addition - yum!
Melissa DaSilva says
Hello,
This recipe looks amazing and just what I was looking for as I have brie in my fridge. I'm wondering if I could sub the mustard (not my favourite) for mayonnaise instead? I am thinking it would work out.
Thanks 😊
Kathryn Doherty says
I haven't tried this with mayonnaise in place of the mustard, but I think that would work just fine. Would love to hear how you like it!
Carrie says
This recipe was an amazing taste sensation! Did 2 breasts, filled with apples and brie. Used toothpicks to help keep the cheese in. But also used a small oven proof dish for each breast. Leftover apple slices and brie were put around the breasts in the small pans. Brushed on the mustards but added a teaspoon of maple syrup to it before doing so. ( did the oven method)
Breasts were smallish, so was done in 25 min.
Served with a chicken bouillon rice and some fried onion/diced carrot mix.
Soooo goood! 5Star
Thank you for a great recipe that I will be making again....and again!
Kathryn Doherty says
Yay, I'm so happy to hear you loved this Carrie! Thanks so much for sharing!! 😊