Charoset-Stuffed Chicken Breast with Potato Purée

Serves 4

Prep time: 25 minutes | Cooking time: 1 hour 15 Mins

Taking the flavours and ingredients from charoset recipes from around the globe, we’ve spun what might be leftover ingredients into a showstopping main course. This dish looks fussy, but we promise it’s simple and easy to prepare and is absolutely bursting with flavour. Succulent chicken breasts, rich with sweetness from dates, earthiness from walnuts, cut through with the perfect balanced acidity of apples and white wine, and rounded off with the warmth of caramelised onions, this dish is certain to impress your guests. Served on a bed of puréed potatoes (obviously cooked in saltwater!), this entrée pairs well with our Seder Plate Salad, or a simple sweetheart cabbage and celery slaw for a finishing touch of freshness.

Ingredients

• 4 Chicken Breasts, butterflied
• 2 Brown Onions OR 4 Banana Shallots, ribboned
• 1 cup Sauvignon Blanc (or other white wine) OR Chicken Stock
• 2 Garlic Cloves, crushed
• 2 tbsp Oil (preferably olive oil)
• Handful Fresh Parsley, roughly chopped (optional, for garnish)

For the filling:

• 1/2 Red Onion OR 2 Banana Shallots, finely diced
• 5 Medjool Dates, checked and roughly chopped
• 1 Apple (Granny Smith), cored, peeled and grated
• 1/2 cup Walnuts, roughly chopped
• Pinch of Salt and Pepper (to taste)

For the Potato Purée

• Approx 700-800g All-Rounder Potatoes (e.g. Maris Piper, King Edward or Rooster), peeled and cut into chunks
• 1-2 tbsp Extra Virgin Olive Oil
• Salt and Pepper to taste

Method

1. Preheat oven to 200ºC (180ºC Fan/400ºF)
2. Mix together the filling ingredients in a bowl.
3. Lay out each of the butterflied chicken breasts. About 1/3 of the way up, add 1/4 of the mixture in a line from edge to edge, and carefully roll and tuck the breast away from you (burrito style) into a log, compressing firmly as you go.
4. Tie each breast neatly together with food safe butcher’s string (aka kitchen twine/cooking twine).
5. Repeat steps 3-4 for all 4 chicken breasts.
6. Heat 2 tbsp oil over medium-high heat in a (ideally ovenproof and lidded) pan.
7. Add in ribboned onions or banana shallots, and cook for about 10 minutes, stirring regularly until starting to brown.
8. Add in your garlic and cook for a further 3 to 5 mins.
9. Scoop the onions and garlic into a bowl and set aside.
10. In the same pan, sear the chicken for 3 to 5 mins on each side until lightly browned.
11. If your stovetop pan can’t go in the oven, transfer the chicken to a heavy bottomed, ovenproof dish or casserole and top with the onion and garlic.
12. Otherwise, add the onions back to the pan on the stovetop.
13. Pour in 1/2 cup of white wine and deglaze the pan for 45-60 seconds. If using a separate dish, pour the mixture over your chicken.
14. Cover tightly with foil or the lid of the pan and oven cook 180ºC Fan for 60 minutes.

Meanwhile

1. Bring a large pot of water to the boil and salt generously.
2. Add potatoes and boil for 15-20 minutes until very soft and fluffy.
3. Drain, add extra virgin olive oil, salt and pepper and blitz with a stick blender until all lumps have gone. Add more oil as required.
4. Plate and serve topped with stuffed chicken and onions and garnish with chopped parsley.

Serving suggestion: add freshness by pairing with our Seder Plate Salad, Pea and Courgette Salad or a simple sweetheart cabbage and celery slaw.