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14
Oct
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Apple & Brie Chicken Roulade {Il de France GIVEAWAY} |
As food bloggers, I think we’ve all come across our nemesis. That one particular recipe or technique that appears on everyone else’s blog but yours, taunting you, “make me! make me!” Only, you never have the time. Or you try, and you fail. Leaving you wondering why everyone else can do it and you can’t. For a long time my food nemesis was perfectly piped pillows of frosting on top of cupcakes. Thankfully, that was an easy one to conquer. Another one is madeleines. And I swear, despite bookmarking tons and tons of recipes, I just haven’t had the time.
It’s understandable with sweets, because they always scream “I’m so darn pretty. Eat me. Wink.” But you might not expect it from stuffed chicken. I’m talking the fancy shmancy chicken roulades sliced every so perfectly and not falling apart. Kind of like you see above. Kind of like what I did for the very first time just recently, after many less-attractive attempts at stuffed chicken.
I must have seen a lot of chicken roulades in the forty-eight hours before receiving a package from Il de France with a generous wedge of their creamy brie cheese, because I immediately knew exactly what I would make with it. Obviously, it was a lot more inspiring than any other cheese in my fridge. What makes it so?
First of all, let’s take what you can discover right from the website: Il de France collects the milk to make the cheese on the very same day, offering the utmost in freshness. It must make a difference, right? Right. Upon opening the cheese, you are greeted by a pleasantly fresh smell, with none of that “stinky cheese” note you might find from others. But my favorite part of Il de France brie cheese was its smooth, creamy texture, straight from the refrigerator. This particular characteristic makes it easy to work with and I imagine it would be a great choice for warm dishes like omelets or risotto. Finally, how does it taste? Exactly like brie should! Light, slightly nutty, and just a smidge earthy – but without any pungent aftertaste.
It worked amazingly well in my Apple and Brie Chicken Roulade, becoming one of our favorite meals this month. As my husband keeps saying, “brie, cooked, is like the best thing ever.” If you don’t believe us and want to try it yourself (or perhaps you know what we’re talking about and want to join in our pleasure), you’re in luck. Il de France is giving away a basket of cheeses to FIVE lucky readers – keep reading for the details!
Apple & Brie Chicken Roulade
Yield: 2 servings
Ingredients:
1 teaspoon minced fresh thyme
1 teaspoon minced fresh rosemary
1/4 teaspoon salt
freshly ground black pepper
3 teaspoons olive oil, divided
1 shallot, minced
1/2 of a large apple, peeled and chopped
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, about 5oz each
2oz soft Brie cheese, cut into small piecesDirections:
In a small bowl, combine the thyme, rosemary, salt, and black pepper.
Heat olive oil in a small skillet over medium heat. Saute the shallot for about 5 minutes, until softened. Add the apple, nutmeg, and 1/2 teaspoon of the thyme and rosemary mixture. Cook for about 5-7 minutes more, stirring occasionally, until apple is tender. Remove from heat and allow to cool.
Carefully butterfly the chicken breasts using a paring knife, cutting in half through the center, stopping before reaching all the way through. Lay out two pieces of plastic wrap on a work surface. Open each piece of chicken and lay each on its own piece of plastic. Top each with a second piece of plastic wrap, and pound to 1/4" thickness with the flat side of a meat tenderizer.
Remove top piece of plastic from each chicken breast, and top each one with half of the shallot-apple mixture, spreading into an even layer. Scatter the pieces of brie cheese over. Roll each one as tightly as you can, wrapping it with the plastic underneath. Place the rolled chicken breasts, wrapped in plastic, on a baking sheet. Freeze for 30 minutes.
Preheat oven to 375ºF. Heat remaining 2 teaspoons olive oil in a medium sized oven-proof skillet over medium-high heat. Remove chicken from the freezer, unwrap, and season with the remaining thyme-rosemary mixture. Carefully transfer to the skillet, seam-side down, and cook for about 3 minutes, until lightly browned. Turn and continue cooking to brown on all sides.
Turn off heat and transfer skillet to the preheated oven. Bake for 15-20 minutes, or until no longer pink in the center. Let rest for a few minutes before slicing with a sharp knife.
Nutrition Facts:
Servings Per Recipe: 2
Amount Per Serving
Calories 360.3
Total Fat 16.7 g
Saturated Fat 6.5 g
Polyunsaturated Fat 1.3 g
Monounsaturated Fat 7.7 g
Cholesterol 110.5 mg
Sodium 273.0 mg
Potassium 545.4 mg
Total Carbohydrate 12.3 g
Dietary Fiber 1.9 g
Sugars 5.5 g
Protein 39.3 gCara Lyons, www.carascravings.com
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I'm Cara, lover of creative, clean food and healthy living. Pumpkin, goat cheese, and eggplant make me swoon. I have an insatiable sweet tooth and desire to lift heavy things. 
Danielle — October 14, 2011 @ 12:37 pm
My favorite is undoubtedly gruyere!
Marcie Sullivan — October 14, 2011 @ 1:02 pm
Brie cheese is my favorite, love to serve it with fruit and crackers
Nicole, RD — October 14, 2011 @ 1:10 pm
I have made an apple and goat cheese stuffed chicken, but the Brie sounds wonderful! And yes, there is some serious, serious technique involved in holding that rolled up chicken together and then slicing it into perfectly thin pieces. I'm glad one of us can move on to bigger and better things…LOL!And for my giveaway entry! I love a lot of cheeses….very few I don't like, honestly. But I'll go with a really good parmigiano-reggiano. So delicious!
Nikki — October 14, 2011 @ 1:10 pm
I love brie! I always make a baked bire en croute aroudn the holidays with a fruit spread filling. Yumm!
Emily — October 14, 2011 @ 1:20 pm
I love muenster.. we always through it was somehow related to MONSTERS as kids! and the orange edges get me every time : )
Heather Stehman — October 14, 2011 @ 1:22 pm
I love Brie cheese. I usually make it with brown sugar and pecans, heated up in the oven and served with crusty bread.
M — October 14, 2011 @ 1:23 pm
Gosh, that recipe looks good and I think even I could make it!
A Rog — October 14, 2011 @ 1:30 pm
One of my favorite appetizers is a wheel of brie covered in phyllo then baked–so warm and gooey and the presentation is unbelievable!
tiffany — October 14, 2011 @ 2:23 pm
Goat cheese is one of my favorites! I haven't cooked too much with brie, other than baked brie as an appetizer. Your chicken dish sounds good!
Marcia — October 14, 2011 @ 2:33 pm
I especially love brie – with sweet or savory jams/preserves, fresh fruit, and on baguette spread with butter! I also adore gruyere and raclette for my fondue and raclette machine recipes that are fun to share with friends.
Erin — October 14, 2011 @ 2:34 pm
we love making twice baked potatoes with gouda. YUM! i think i would try out a lovely appetizer with the brie, cranberries and puff pastry.
Suz725 — October 14, 2011 @ 2:35 pm
My favorite cheese is parmesan but I have never met a cheese I didnt like…
Gretchen B — October 14, 2011 @ 2:36 pm
A nutty full flavored Parmesean is my absolute favorite, you only need a touch to really add depth to a dish. The creamier and nuttier the better!
Carrie @ CarrieAndJonathan.com — October 14, 2011 @ 2:42 pm
I have not yet met a cheese I didn't like. I love brie with roasted garlic and fig preserves…mmmmm.
Arghavan Schumacher — October 14, 2011 @ 2:43 pm
I love baking Brie in puff pastry with mango chutney. So delicious!
Kathleen Gardner Pietrovito — October 14, 2011 @ 2:56 pm
I love cheese–baked brie is one of my favorite things in the world!
Jennifer D — October 14, 2011 @ 3:07 pm
I tried Stilton cheese with lemon zest years ago and still think about it. Have never found it though.
Rebolding — October 14, 2011 @ 3:13 pm
i love the brie, fig preserve combo! it is amazing! i love any cheese really and love going to whole foods and getting a new cheese almost every time i go!rebolding@gmail.com
Mary G — October 14, 2011 @ 3:20 pm
I love brie, especially on a baguette with turkey and green apple slices! My favorite cheese of all time, though, is havarti with dill. Makes an amazingy creamy and delicious mac and cheese!
Dq1479 — October 14, 2011 @ 3:24 pm
My husband would love this recipe and we have so many apples to use right now! Thank you.
Marilyn Coltran — October 14, 2011 @ 3:24 pm
I love Bleu cheese! Yum! I loved brie wrapped in a crescent roll w/ jam so good. I'm def making this recipe this weekend! Thanks Cara
Shannon — October 14, 2011 @ 3:29 pm
Mmm, my favorite is goat cheese, but i'll agree with ben that cooked brie is pretty amazing too 🙂 i'd be all over this chicken dish if i won!
Brandalyn — October 14, 2011 @ 3:30 pm
I love a good sharp cheddar. But brie is yummy, especially on a little baguette! And I love a good baked brie.
Corinn Chadwell — October 14, 2011 @ 3:32 pm
this sounds and looks amazing!
Jennifer Thomson — October 14, 2011 @ 3:34 pm
Sounds delicious!!!
Kira — October 14, 2011 @ 3:41 pm
Oh how I love cheese! My favorite cheese is probably smoked gouda.
Amie — October 14, 2011 @ 3:54 pm
My favorite is smoked Gouda!
Joanne — October 14, 2011 @ 3:58 pm
You and I are soulmates. This seals the deal. I've never done a roulade either…kind of scary. But apple and brie and so worth it…as is finding a way to vegetarianize this…I'm gonna do it…somehow. brie is my favorite cheese! I love it all melty with cranberry sauce. swoon.
Kara — October 14, 2011 @ 4:13 pm
Cara this sounds delicious!
Molly — October 14, 2011 @ 4:28 pm
I love Brie! An easy appetizer is sliced brie and apples between two tortillas and baked in the oven — seasoned as you see fit (cinnamon)? – and then cut into wedges. Also good: crepes with brie, apple and cumin. Yum!
Katie — October 14, 2011 @ 4:40 pm
I love brie and apple grilled cheese sandwiches. Delicious!
Sandra — October 14, 2011 @ 4:43 pm
I don't think I have ever met a cheese I don't like!
Erica — October 14, 2011 @ 4:54 pm
I am absolutely in love with Brie! I love to bake it and spread it on a cracker with some honey. YUM!
Pamela | Girl Gone West — October 14, 2011 @ 5:26 pm
I wrote a fiction piece for a food writing class I took in college about a boy and his father making little figures out of the waxy red coating found on a nice gouda cheeses. The professor MORTIFIED me by reading it out loud to the class as an example of an out-of-the-box approach to food writing. Ah, college memories. The chicken looks amazing!!!
Carol Adams — October 14, 2011 @ 5:30 pm
I love making Brie in puff pastry with carmel sauce, nuts etc… Great appetizer.. or snack or dinner… lol
Amanda B — October 14, 2011 @ 5:35 pm
I'm from WI so I LOVE cheese. My favorite is in the form of a hat that you put on your head…or the sharpest cheddar you can get…or Dubliner…or Bleu Cheese…or…
Suzy — October 14, 2011 @ 5:44 pm
Brie wrapped in puff pastry with raspberry preserves is one of my favorite things to bring to parties, since it looks impressive but is really no work at all! This looks a lot healthier, though!
Shannon Wheel — October 14, 2011 @ 5:58 pm
I love fancy grilled cheese with brie, apple slices, and arugula on artisan bread. Mmmm…but Cabot Seriously Sharp cheddar has to be my all-time fave.
Jen L — October 14, 2011 @ 6:09 pm
That sounds delish! I love, love cheese!!
Aidan — October 14, 2011 @ 6:11 pm
Yum, I love brie… in my trips to France I have also learned to appreciate some of "la fromage qui peu." (stinky cheese). I would love to win
cookingirl — October 14, 2011 @ 7:24 pm
I love cheese of any kind! One of my favorites is brie with homemade fig jam on a crostini, toasted in the oven then topped with a sliver of pear. YUM!
Aubrey — October 14, 2011 @ 7:40 pm
I adore cheese! Especially those little babybell snack cheeses… and cheesecake 🙂 My next experiment is going to be cheesecake icecream!
Dena Price — October 14, 2011 @ 7:44 pm
I like brie, but melted on crostini.
Laura H — October 14, 2011 @ 7:44 pm
I love cheese the way some people love chocolate– it's a problem!!
bostonbride721 — October 14, 2011 @ 7:47 pm
I've never met a cheese I haven't liked! I'm working on perfecting PUMPKIN (your fave!) mac & cheese with extra sharp cheddar this fall.
Bridget — October 14, 2011 @ 9:36 pm
I've been feeling cheese-deprived lately, because I haven't been to a big city (er, in this country) in months. I ordered a bunch of other fancy foods online, but the shipping prices on cheese were exorbitant!
Beth — October 14, 2011 @ 9:41 pm
I can't win the prize since I'm Canadian – but your chicken looks terrific!
Sara Burton — October 14, 2011 @ 11:48 pm
Love Brie cheese, haven't cooked with it, but have a package in the cooler waiting for friends to come over and have cheese, salami and crackers 🙂
Lori Lynn — October 15, 2011 @ 10:30 am
Hi Cara- the stuffed chicken looks excellent but I am craving that mound of greens by its side.LL
Leann Lindeman — October 15, 2011 @ 2:03 pm
We love cheese in this house. Extra sharp cheddar is our favorite…. Next to flavored goat cheese.
Julia Bancroft — October 15, 2011 @ 2:18 pm
I love pretty much every cheese I come into contact with. My everyday favorite is cheddar, my current favorite super special cheese is stilton. As for brie, I'm doing to make a recipe that has a brie cheese base topped with thin sliced of pear, baked in the oven. Comes out looking like a beautiful rose. I'm hoping to practice it soon for the Holidays!
Yocelyn Suarez — October 15, 2011 @ 2:44 pm
There is no way I can pick a favorite cheese. Top 5 would be Brie, aged gouda, la tur, manchego and a new one I just found called Bella Donna. (sp?) My favorite thing to cook brie with is take the whole cheese and place it inside a pastry dough, top it with your favorite preserve ( I love raspberry) close the dough and bake it. Delish!
JoAnn — October 15, 2011 @ 3:05 pm
Call me a purist, but there is nothing better than a cheese and cracker platter!
Mb — October 15, 2011 @ 4:10 pm
aged gouda!
Katie — October 15, 2011 @ 5:08 pm
Brie is my husbands fav cheese ever- and I plan on making this recipe for him as a special treat. Thanks so much for the recipe!! 🙂
Bananas for Bourbon — October 15, 2011 @ 5:52 pm
How does one choose a favorite?! I love anything aged, preferably stinky. 🙂 And Brie? I can't stop eating it. Yum!
Amy — October 15, 2011 @ 7:42 pm
i love Camembert!
Kate — October 15, 2011 @ 8:50 pm
I find it hard to imagine you having a food nemesis at all!
Rachel — October 15, 2011 @ 10:46 pm
I LOVE cheese! One of my favorite things to make for parties is baked brie.
Kim — October 16, 2011 @ 12:50 pm
I haven't cooked with a lot of cheese. I use to not care for cheese too much, but recently have started loving it more! I would love to try this yummy dish! If I had to pick my favorite cheese I would say a good bleu cheese or feta on a salad! Yum!
DeliciousDish — October 16, 2011 @ 8:04 pm
That recipe looks so good. I have a bunch of pears in the fridge and am thinking it could be very good with pears too. I LOVE cheese! I actually have a tiny wedge of brie in the fridge right now, and I'm tempted to break it out after reading your post. This is such a great giveaway!
susitravl — October 16, 2011 @ 11:49 pm
Smoked Gouda is delicious – on pizza it is even better! susitravl(at)gmail(dot)com
Carolyn — October 16, 2011 @ 11:57 pm
Okay, those are gorgeous and I am DEFINITELY making these. I've made roulades before but never with brie and I love brie. Probably the most out of any cheese, I love brie!
Jersey Girl Cooks — October 17, 2011 @ 12:52 am
I love all kinds of cheese even stinky cheese…haha. Thanks for the giveaway chance!
Shewanna — October 17, 2011 @ 3:37 pm
I love baked brie with black pepper crackers! But for cooking, you can't beat the aroma and versatility of an aged parm!
Anna Mushi Michaud — October 17, 2011 @ 6:50 pm
I'm in love with cheese- in fact I almost named my dog cheese…..
Kelly — October 17, 2011 @ 8:15 pm
I have cooked with Brie, and in fact, I have a couple of recipes coming up. 🙂 I love the idea of a roulade.
e cigarette starter kit — October 18, 2011 @ 3:45 am
Its really looking so beautiful & delicious.This recipe sounds too good.I will definitely try this recipe.Keep sharing with us in future too.
Hearing Aid — October 18, 2011 @ 4:40 am
sounds unusual and looks very yummy.Look forward to trying this recipe.I really like the concept of this post and I feel that this is a very unique and rare information that you have managed to compile. It is quite interesting to read about this very rare topic.
grace — October 18, 2011 @ 9:16 am
apples and brie make a fierce combination, so stuffing the two into a slab of chicken is a-okay with me.favorite cheese? pepper jack. every day. 🙂
linda — October 18, 2011 @ 12:28 pm
Brie, love it! I have a really good cranberry & brie appetizer, which you use to dip crackers in!
Samantha Saari — October 18, 2011 @ 2:52 pm
My favorite is manchego, I grate it onto just about anything!
Elina (Healthy and Sane) — October 19, 2011 @ 8:43 pm
This recipe sounds awesome and your pictures are great recently. Do you remember if you shot this one in daylight or at night? If it was after work, I need to know your lighting secrets :)Something on cheese… I totally OD'ed on baguettes with brie (just brie) the first time I was in Paris. It was amazing actually. 🙂
Jacquieastemborski — October 21, 2011 @ 6:57 pm
a good swiss or cheddar are probably my favorites. i haven't tried cooking w/ brie but would to have the opportunity to give it try.
Kevin (Closet Cooking) — October 25, 2011 @ 11:57 pm
More ooey gooey melted brie goodness!
Roni — November 18, 2011 @ 5:38 am
This is a nice content. Butterfly the chicken breasts then lay on the crépinette, fill with semi dried tomatoes.This is an amazing.I am very impressed to this one.Thanks to share this blog with us.Keep sharing.
Orden — November 19, 2011 @ 5:25 am
This is a well informative content.That one particular recipe or technique that appears on everyone.The written skill is so good.Thanks to share this blog with us.Keep sharing.I will keep share in future.
Gretchen — March 14, 2012 @ 7:28 pm
This recipe sounds wonderful – I’ve never done a roulade, and I’ve never had brie cheese – it sounds wonderful and whether or not I win the basket, I will definitely try this recipe. Thanks, Cara.