No longer just the realms of a seasonal stuffing or roasting over an open fire, the year-round versatility of chestnuts is growing in popularity. These tree fruits are a good source of vitamin C, are low in saturated fat, deliver a surprisingly high dose of fibre and have a natural waxy sweetness that works well in sweet and savoury dishes.
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Yields:
4 serving(s)
Prep Time:
40 mins
Cook Time:
40 mins
Total Time:
1 hr 20 mins
Cal/Serv:
531
Ingredients
11/2Tbsp.
olive oil
1
onion, finely chopped
2
garlic cloves, crushed
150g
cooked chestnuts, we used Merchant Gourmet
1
medium egg
50g
fresh breadcrumbs
4
large skin-on chicken breasts, about 200g each
For the sauce
75ml
white wine
200ml
chicken stock
2tsp.
Dijon mustard
100ml
double cream
Small handful fresh tarragon, leaves picked and finely chopped
Directions
Step 1Heat 1tbsp oil in a pan over medium heat and cook onion for 10min, until softened. Add garlic, cook for 1min. Set aside to cool slightly.
Step 2Preheat oven to 200°C (180°C fan) mark 6. In a food processor whizz onion, garlic and chestnuts until finely chopped. Add egg, breadcrumbs and 1tsp fine salt and whizz to combine. Make a deep horizontal slit in the side of each chicken breast, being careful not to go all the way through, and stuff with chestnut mixture. Place on a baking tray lined with baking parchment. Drizzle with remaining oil and season. Cook for 20-25min, until breasts are cooked through.
Step 3Meanwhile make the sauce. Bring wine and stock to the boil in a pan over high heat and bubble until reduced a little, about 5min. Turn heat down to medium and stir through mustard, cream and some seasoning. Simmer for 5min, stirring occasionally, until slightly thickened. Stir through tarragon.
Step 4 Serve chicken with the sauce and seasonal greens, if you like.
Get ahead
Stuff chicken breasts up to a day ahead. Place on baking tray lined with baking parchment. Cover and chill. Complete recipe to serve.
An experienced and highly skilled team of food writers, stylists and digital content producers, the Good Housekeeping Cookery Team is a close-knit squad of food obsessives. Cookery Editor Emma Franklin is our resident chilli obsessive and barbecue expert, who spends an inordinate amount of time on holidays poking round the local supermarkets seeking out new and exciting foods. Senior Cookery Writer Alice Shields is a former pastry chef and baking fanatic who loves making bread and would have peanut butter with everything if she could. Her favourite carb is pasta, and our vibrant green spaghetti is her weeknight go-to. Lover of all things savoury, Senior Cookery Writer Grace Evans can be found eating crispy corn and nocellara olives at every opportunity, and will take the cheeseboard over dessert any time (though she cannot resist a slice of tres leches cake). With a wealth of professional kitchen know-how, culinary training and years of experience between them, they are all dedicated to ensuring every Good Housekeeping recipe is the best it can be, so you can trust they’ll work (and if they don’t – we’ll have the answer for why*) every time (*90% of the time the answer is: “buy an separate oven thermometer”!).
