Chicken breasts with apple stuffing - Recipe Of The Month

Shape, Sept, 2003 by Robin Vitetta-Miller

One way to boost your fruit intake is to add apples to salads and cooked dishes instead of eating them solely as snacks. Peak season for apples is September through November, so you've got plenty of time to try out some new recipes like the one below. For a complete meal, serve this delicious dish with steamed broccoli or carrots and a green salad on the side.--Robin Vitetta-Miller, M.S.

Serves 4
Prep time: 10 minutes
Cook time: 20 minutes

Cooking spray
4 4-ounce skinless,
  boneless chicken breast
  halves
2 slices whole-grain
  bread, cut into 1/2-inch
  cubes
1 Granny Smith apple,
  cored and diced
1/3 cup reduced-sodium
  chicken broth
1 teaspoon dried sage
1 teaspoon dried thyme
1/2 teaspoon salt, plus
  more for seasoning
1/4 teaspoon ground black
  pepper, plus more for
  seasoning

Preheat oven to 400 [degrees] F. Coat a shallow baking pan with cooking spray. Using a sharp knife, slice horizontally through the middle of each piece of chicken (like you're slicing a bagel), stopping before you cut all the way through. Spread open chicken pieces, press down gently with the palm of your hand and place on prepared pan. Set aside.

Mix remaining ingredients well in a large bowl. Spoon onto one half of each piece of chicken, then fold other half over. Season to taste with additional salt and pepper.

Bake 30 minutes, or until chicken is cooked through.

Nutrition Score per serving (1 stuffed chicken breast half): 198 calories, 15% fat (3 g; <1 g saturated), 27% carbs (13 g), 58% protein (29 g), 3 g fiber, 75 mg calcium, 2 mg iron, 430 mg sodium.