The air is cool, clean, and crisp; the leaves are brilliant shades of reds, oranges, and browns; and children’s laughter can again be heard in the schoolyards. Yes, fall has finally arrived! And that, of course, means it is the perfect time to gather the family and head to the apple orchards. (Check out www.pickyourown.org to find an orchard near you!)
There is nothing like grabbing some low-hanging sweet, crisp, and delicious apples. (*Tip: leave the stem on and the apples will stay fresh longer) Some of the varieties you’ll find during a typical Northeast fall include Golden Delicious, Braeburn, Cortland, Suncrisp, and many others—the perfect varieties to cook with!
The weather isn’t the only reason to venture out to the apple orchards; we can’t forget about the inherent nutritional goldmine found within these red, pink, yellow, and green jewels. The bragging rights for an apple are great: this once-forbidden fruit contains less than 100 calories; has very little fat, cholesterol, and sodium; and provides a great source of dietary fiber and vitamin C.
The sheer enjoyment of apple picking coupled with the first-rate nutritional value of apples can easily cause you to bring home one too many bushels. So, now that you have them home, what do you do with this beautiful bounty? Apple pies and apple crisps top most people’s recipe lists. But apples aren’t just for dessert anymore. Wow your friends and family with this apple-stuffed chicken, which packs an additional nutritional punch, thanks to the antioxidant-rich cranberries.
This recipe serves 8, but you easily can cut it in half.
Ingredients:
Marinade:
- ¼ cup red wine vinegar
- 6 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
- 2 teaspoons of Dijon mustard
- 1 teaspoon of dry mustard
- 4 tablespoons of honey
- 1/3 cup of olive oil
- 8 skinless, boneless chicken breasts
- 3 medium apples (use the sweet, crisp varieties such as Suncrisp, Braeburns, or Cortlands)
- 2 tablespoons of light margarine
- ¾ cup of dried cranberries*
- Salt and pepper
*Be careful when purchasing dried cranberries; sadly they are not all created equally. Many brands are packed with unnecessary and unhealthy high-fructose corn syrup and other artificial sweeteners.
Instructions:
- Marinate the chicken breasts for at least an hour, preferably overnight. The longer you marinate the chicken, the juicer it will be.
- Preheat the oven to 400-degrees.
- Grill the chicken on one side, (an indoor or outdoor grill both work great!) just long enough to make a grill mark (about 1-3 minutes). For a more professional look, rotate the chicken 45-degrees to make a hatch-mark pattern. (Note: only grill ONE side of the chicken)
- Peel, core, and chop the apples. Sauté the fruit in the margarine over medium-high heat for 5-10 minutes, until they develop a golden brown color. Add the cranberries, mix, and remove from the heat. Season with salt and pepper.
- Cut a pocket in the thick end of each breast and stuff with the apple mixture.
- Place the breasts grilled-side up in a baking dish, top with any of the extra apple-cranberry mixture, and cover with foil.
- Bake the chicken for 15 minutes, or until cooked through. Alternatively, you can refrigerate the chicken for up to 24 hours before baking.
Enjoy this autumn delight with another fall favorite: butternut squash soup!
