Cranberry and Brie Stuffed Chicken

Cranberry sauce and brie stuffed chicken wrapped in bacon is a delicious centrepiece for a meal and can be cooked in the oven or air fryer.

The chicken takes around 15-20 minutes to cook in the air fryer and around 25-30 minutes to cook in the oven. Preparation takes around 15 minutes, but that can be done up to 24 hours in advance!

Bacon-Wrapped Stuffed Chicken Breast

Bacon-wrapped stuffed chicken is always magic, and it's something I return to fairly often on my website.

I've got everything from a British pub style hunters chicken to Scottish haggis stuffed chicken Balmoral and its black pudding cousin, chicken Braemar.

They join non-bacon wrapped alternatives like a classic chicken Kyiv, chicken wrapped in Parma ham, and a wonderful sage and onion stuffed chicken ballotine.

My latest offering combines the flavours from ordering sandwiches from the local sandwich shop when I had an office job.

Brie, cranberry sauce and bacon are a match made in heaven; the cheese and sauce are stuffed in a butterflied chicken breast and then folded over and wrapped in smoked bacon.

I've provided instructions for baking this in the oven or cooking it in the air fryer.

It's delicious, simple and versatile; it can be served with countless sides.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is this better cooked in an oven or an air fryer?

I prefer to cook this in the oven mainly because it can create a mess in the air fryer!

No matter how well you wrap the chicken breast in the bacon, you will have some leakage. You can line the air fryer with foil or use a tray.

However, they disrupt the movement of air, and as a result, they negate many of the unique benefits of an air fryer.

What is streaky bacon?

This question often gets asked by visitors to my website from the US. Streaky bacon to us Brits is what you guys call bacon.

Regular bacon in the UK more often than not refers to back bacon or "Canadian" bacon as you guys know it.

Can I use a different type of cheese?

Yes, although the combination of brie and cranberry sauce is magic, everything from camembert to a well-aged cheddar would work well.

Can I make this in advance?

I would not cook and reheat this dish. However, all of the preparation can be done up to 24 hours in advance.

In fact, allowing the bacon-wrapped chicken to sit in the fridge for a few hours helps everything settle and results in a much better dish.

Do you use homemade cranberry sauce?

If I am making this over the Christmas period and cranberry sauce is on the menu, then yes, I will use homemade cranberry sauce.

However, I cook this dish all year round, as a result I'd generally use store-bought cranberry sauce.

Serving Suggestions

I've served my brie-stuffed chicken breast in these pictures with some crispy fried new potatoes, simply braised white chicory and an extra helping of cranberry sauce.

The bitterness of the chicory works perfectly with the salty-sweet flavours of the chicken, and who doesn't love fried potatoes?

But this is a wonderfully versatile dish, and you can pair it up with loads of dishes.

It's fantastic with mash, mashed potato works well, celeriac mash is even better. You could even serve it with clapshot, a Scottish swede and potato mash or even on some cheesy polenta.

When it comes to veggies, go to town; you could add some simply cooked veggies. Everything from my green beans amandine, to air fryer asparagus work well, as does roasted tenderstem broccoli.

If you want something a little different, give my braised cavolo nero with shallots a whirl; it's delicious!

Equipment Used

I only mention brands of equipment if I think that they make a material difference to a recipe. But if you have any questions, feel free to ask them in the comments section below the recipe.

• Oven or Air Fryer.
• Baking tray with a cooling grid if you are cooking these in the oven.
• Chopping board.
• Kitchen knife.
• Weighing scales and measuring spoons.