As Christmas approaches this chicken with walnut cranberry stuffing recipe is a great option for the family meal on Christmas day!

Ingredients (Serves 6)

For the Stuffing

• 10g pkt fresh sage leaves
• 1 cup Panko breadcrumbs
• 1 teaspoon crushed garlic (in jar)
• ½ cup onion finely diced
• ½ cup celery finely diced
• ⅓ cup dried cranberries (Craisins)
• 1 teaspoon salt-reduced chicken stock powder
• ¼ cup walnuts chopped

For the Chicken

• 2 x 500g double skinless chicken breasts
• wooden toothpicks 
• 1 tablespoon plain flour 
• 1 oven bag
• cooking spray
• GRAVY (optional): 1½ cups water
• 2 teaspoons salt-reduced chicken stock powder
• 2½ tablespoons cornflour
• juice from chicken bag

Method

1. Preheat oven 180ºC fan forced.
2. Stuffing: Remove stalks from sage leaves then finely chop.
3. Place all stuffing ingredients into a medium size mixing bowl and combine well.
4. Leave to one side.
5. Chicken: Tidy chicken edges and remove fillets. Using a meat mallet or rolling pin, flatten chicken to an even thickness making sure you keep each double breast together.
6. Place half the stuffing on the inside part of one double breast, spread evenly over chicken. Lift other half of breast over top of filling to encase in the chicken.
7. Use toothpicks to secure edges, so no filling will escape. Repeat this with other double breast.
8. Place flour into oven bag and shake.
9. Spray tops of chicken with cooking spray then place into oven bag and tie opening.
10. Prick a few holes into top of bag then place onto a flat baking tray.
11. Bake 35-40 minutes or until chicken is cooked through.
12. Remove from oven and leave chicken to rest in bag for 10 minutes.
13. Lift chicken out of bag and strain residue liquid from bag into a small saucepan to make gravy.
14. Remove toothpicks then carefully slice chicken with a sharp knife.
15. Serve hot or cold.
16. Gravy: Place all ingredients into a small saucepan with chicken juice.
17. Using a whisk, bring to boil and serve on the side with chicken.
18. Suitable to be frozen.

*Variation Replace chicken breast with turkey breast.