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Cranberry and walnut stuffed chicken thigh fillets

These cranberry and walnut stuffed chicken thigh fillets are ideal for a festive meal -  either between Thanksgiving and Christmas or at Easter time. You can use leftover home-made or shop-bought cranberry sauce. Serve it with a mash and a crispy salad on the side.  
Print Recipe
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 30 minutes
Resting Time 4 hours
Total Time 45 minutes
Servings: 4 people
Cuisine: USA
Calories: 1234
Ingredients Method

Ingredients
  

  • 8 Chicken thigh fillets
  • 3 Tbsp cranberry sauce
  • ½ cup chopped walnuts
  • 1 tsp thyme leaves
  • Salt & pepper
  • 2 mandarins
  • 1 large parsnip
  • 2 medium carrots
  • ½ tsp cinnamon
  • 2 Tbsp olive oil
  • ½ cup fresh or dried cranberries
  • For the glaze:
  • 50 mL cranberry or mandarin juice
  • 2 Tbsp cranberry sauce
  • 1 Tbsp honey or maple syrup

Method
 

  1. Preheat the oven to 180°C.
  2. Mix the cranberry sauce, walnut and thyme in a small ball, then set aside.
  3. Peel the parsnip and carrots, then cut them into long chunks.
  4. Unroll the chicken thigh fillets, season with salt and pepper and rub with oil.
  5. Stuff each fillet with the cranberry-walnut mixture and roll them up.
  6. Cut the mandarins into thin rings and lay them in a baking dish.
  7. Put the stuffed chicken thighs on top of the mandarin slices (cut-side facing downwards).
  8. Arrange the carrot and parsnip slices around the chicken and drizzle them with oil, then dust them with cinnamon.
  9. Finally scatter the cranberries around the chicken and season everything with salt& pepper to your liking.
  10. Bake in the oven for 15 minutes, then pour over half of the cranberry/mandarin juice.
  11. Mix the rest of the juice with the cranberry sauce and honey/maple syrup, then brush the chicken and vegetables with it.
  12. Bake for a further 10-15 minutes or so, until golden and the chicken has cooked through (but not overcooked).
  13. Serve immediately.