Apple and Spinach Stuffed Chicken with Fresh Beet and Cucumber Relish

Can I just start by saying that all I really want this week is to be Carrie Underwood in this video?

Would that really be so much to ask?

I guess I could settle for access to the closet that contains those uhhhmazing get ups though. Thanks.

Do you know what is always an interesting feeling? When you expect to really like something, but then you don't. You get all amped about it. And then you realize it kinda sucks. It's like reading Tina Fey's book Bossypants or a meringue that just comes out way too runny. Liiiike when you're excited for a 90 degree day in April, but then you quickly remember that 90 degrees is actually really uncomfortable.

This chicken is the opposite of that feeling. I was pretty skeptical of the relish. I wasn't sure how the granny smiths would hold up in the oven. And I've never in my life paired bbq sauce with a beet. But to my surprise these things marry together pretty well. Very well in fact.


As always on my site, very simple prep. This smells amazing in the oven and dude, the colors.

Soundtrack: 

Apple and Spinach Stuffed Chicken with Fresh Beet and Cucumber Relish
Serves 4


4 medium sized chicken breasts, trimmed of fat and pounded 1/2 in. thick
4 handfuls fresh baby spinach
1/2 medium granny smith apple, peeled and julienned
1/2 c your favorite bbq sauce
1/2 c fresh beet, peeled and diced
1/2 c cucumber, diced
1 1/2 tsp apple cider vinegar
1/2 tsp sugar
Salt & Pepper
Cooking twine


Preheat the oven to 350 degress. 


Sprinkle salt and pepper over the 4 chicken breasts. Add a handful of spinach and 1/4 of the apple slices to each. Roll up so that the long ends are touching and tie with twine.


Place the breasts of chicken into a 13x9 pan. Baste on all sides with bbq sauce, leaving the open side up.


Bake for 15 minutes, then remove from the oven and baste again. This time, leaving the open side down. Bake another 10 minutes.


While the chicken is cooking, combine the beets and cucumber in a medium bowl. Toss with vinegar and sugar.


Remove the string from the chicken once they are finished cooking and serve each breast topped the relish.