Chicken Breasts Stuffed with Grilled Corn and White Cheddar, Basted with Apple Cherry Barbecue Sauce

I made a batch of barbecue sauce today, to use the sour cherries in my freezer. I added in a couple of apples that were in the fruit bowl and the last juice box of apple juice. Being my first batch of homemade barbecue sauce, I was very happy with the way it turned out...sweet, spicy, rich and dark from the molasses with a zing from the apple cider vinegar. I filled nine jars for the pantry, and had a small amount left.

Of course, I had to use some for our dinner tonight. I had chicken breasts, what is more perfect than fruity, spicy barbecue sauce and chicken? Taking the last few kernels of grilled corn from last night, and some grated white cheddar and stuffing the chicken, that's what!

Grilled, basted with the sauce and served with a salad, dinner was done!

In a small bowl, combine:

1/2 cup grilled corn kernels
1/2 cup grated white cheddar

Using a small sharp knife, carefully cut a pocket into each breast. Make the pocket as large as you can without cutting through the chicken on either side.

I used 2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts

Using your fingers, push half of the corn and cheese into each pocket.

Use a couple of toothpicks to secure the opening and keep the filling inside.

Season the chicken with salt and pepper, and cook on a hot, oiled grill.

When the both sides have been grill marked, brush with barbecue sauce, and continue to turn and baste often, until the chicken is fully cooked.

I used 1/3 cup barbecue sauce

Remove the chicken from the grill and allow it to rest for 5 minutes before serving.







I served the chicken with a romaine, orange, dried cherry and pumpkin seed salad. The outside of the chicken was crispy, sweet and spicy from the barbecue sauce and the inside was moist, with the melted cheese and kernels of corn spilling out. Yum!

• We had grilled corn on the cob last night, and there were some kernels left on the one cob at the end of the meal. I cut the kernels off, and put them in the fridge. They were perfect for tonight's meal.
• If you have no grilled corn, use frozen corn.
• Other vegetables such as sundried tomatoes, fresh or roasted red peppers, cooked or caramelized onions, leeks or shallots can be used instead of corn.
• I used white cheddar because it melts nicely, and has a mild enough flavour that the barbecue sauce would not be competing with it. Use your favourite cheese...Swiss, cheddar, havarti, gouda to name a few good choices.
• When closing the opening with the toothpicks, try and push them all the way into the chicken. Any bit of toothpick left exposed will burn on the grill, and your filling could end up falling out.
• Use your favourite barbecue sauce for this recipe. I found the fruitiness of this one was perfect with chicken.