Cranberry Balsamic Chicken & Stuffing Muffins
by Christine Pittman
Are you ready for a healthy spin on a traditional holiday favorite? This Cranberry Balsamic Chicken & Stuffing Muffins will have the family wanting to celebrate all year long. Why not start a healthy tradition this holiday season!
Now that it s officially Fall, I have been craving some ultimate comfort foods. I was thinking the other day how we only have stuffing around the holidays. And if you are like me at all, stuffing should be on the menu more often! So, I got to thinking and we came up with this Cranberry Balsamic Chicken recipe and served it up with some stuffing muffins. Yes! Stuffing muffins. Aren’t they fun? The kids loved being able to eat these with their hands and we loved all the flavors that these little bite sized muffins packed.
So if you are on the lookout for a new dinner recipe this upcoming holiday season (or anytime) make sure to give this easy chicken recipe a try. The baked chicken is moist and delicious, too. We topped the chicken with an easy cranberry sauce that is festive and different! I hope your family will enjoy this dinner idea as much as we did.
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Nutrition Tip: Cranberries are a great source of antioxidants and phytochemicals, which can help prevent cancer and cardiovascular disease.
Key Ingredients for this Cranberry Balsamic Chicken & Stuffing Muffins
- Onion
- Bell Pepper
- Celery
- Pears
- Multi-grain bread
- Chicken
- Balsamic Vinaigrette
- Cranberries
- Pineapple
How to make the Stuffing Muffins
First lightly spray a twelve medium non-stick muffin pan cups with some cooking spray.
Then heat the oil in a large skillet over medium-low heat. Add in the onions, peppers, and celery. Let cook, stirring occasionally for about 2-3 minutes, or until softened. Stir in the pears, lemon juice, salt, and poultry seasoning. Let cook a little longer. Next add in the bread and remove from heat.
In a separate bowl combine the egg and chicken stock and mix. Then pour over the bread mixture and stir.
Gently press the stuffing into the muffin pan. Bake for about 30 minutes. Remove from heat and let stand 5 minutes. Run plastic knife gently around edge of each muffin before removing.
How to make the Cranberry Balsamic Chicken
While the stuffing bakes, arrange chicken on 13×9-inch parchment-lined baking sheet. Poke breasts on both sides 6-7 times with a fork and brush both sides with the balsamic vinaigrette. Bake for about 25 minutes, or until internal temperature is at least 165ºF.
Next combine the pomegranate juice and 1/2 cup of water in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Then add the sugar and stir to dissolve. Add in the cranberries and cook, stirring continuously, 10 minutes, or until cranberries pop. Add the pineapple and remove from heat.
Then top the baked chicken with the cranberry sauce. Serve with the stuffing muffins and enjoy!
Make sure to PIN IT!
Cranberry Balsamic Chicken & Stuffing Muffins
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1/2 small sweet onion chopped
- 1/2 red bell pepper chopped
- 2 ribs celery finely chopped
- 2 pears chopped
- 1 teaspoon lemon juice
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon poultry seasoning
- 4 slices multi-grain bread cubed
- 1 large egg
- 1/4 cup unsalted chicken stock
- 6 3 oz. chicken breasts
- 3 tablespoons balsamic vinaigrette dressing
- 1/2 cup pomegranate juice
- 1/2 cup water
- 1/2 cup sugar
- 12 ounces fresh cranberries
- 1/2 cup chopped pineapple
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400ºF.
- Lightly spray twelve medium non-stick muffin pan cups with cooking spray.
- Heat oil in large skillet over medium-low heat; add onions, peppers and celery, and cook, stirring occasionally, 2-3 minutes, or until softened. Stir in pears, lemon juice, salt and poultry seasoning, and cook 1 minute. Add bread and remove from heat.
- Combine egg and chicken stock in bowl. Pour over bread mixture and stir.
- Gently press stuffing into muffin pan. Bake 30 minutes. Remove from heat and let stand 5 minutes. Run plastic knife gently around edge of each muffin before removing.
- While stuffing bakes, arrange chicken on 13×9-inch parchment-lined baking sheet. Poke breasts on both sides 6-7 times with fork and brush both sides with vinaigrette. Bake 25 minutes, or until internal temperature is 165ºF.
- Combine juice and 1/2 cup water in medium saucepan over medium heat; add sugar and stir to dissolve. Add cranberries and cook, stirring continuously, 10 minutes, or until cranberries pop. Add pineapple and remove from heat.
- Top chicken with cranberry sauce.
