Description
Boneless turkey breasts filled with a sage-scented apple, fennel and chestnut stuffing make an elegant (and easy!) twist on the traditional Thanksgiving turkey dinner.
Ingredients
Scale
- 1/2 cup diced pancetta
- 2 tbsp olive oil, divided
- 1/2 cup finely diced onion
- 1/4 cup finely diced fennel
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 Royal Gala apple, peeled and finely diced
- 1/2 cup cooked and peeled chestnuts, roughly chopped
- 5-6 leaves fresh sage, finely chopped
- 1/4 cup dry white wine or apple cider
- Salt and pepper
- 1 boneless, skinless turkey breast half (~2 lbs)
- 2 tsp herbes de provence
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350F.
- In a medium saucepan set over medium heat, cook the pancetta in 1 tbsp olive oil until browned and crisp, about 5 minutes. Use a slotted spoon to transfer to a small bowl, and set aside.
- Add onion and fennel to the pan, and continue cooking until onion is soft and translucent, about 7-10 minutes. Add apple, chestnuts and sage, and stir in white wine or cider. Cook for 7 minutes longer, or until onions are very soft and most of the liquid has cooked off. Season with salt and white pepper to taste. Set aside to cool.
- Meanwhile, use a sharp knife to butterfly the turkey breast by slicing through the middle of the breast with the knife parallel to the cutting board, almost but not all the way through, and opening up like a book.
- Place the butterflied breast between two pieces of plastic wrap. Using a mallet or the bottom of a heavy skillet, flatten to 1/2" thickness.
- Remove the plastic, and generously season the inside of the breast with salt and pepper. Spoon the cooled filling onto the left side of the turkey, then fold over the right side. Tie up with kitchen twine at 2" intervals. If any stuffing escaped during this process, simply push it back in once the turkey breast is bundled up with twine and secure the ends with toothpicks, if necessary.
- Rub the outside of the roast with 1 tbsp olive oil, and sprinkle with herbes de provence and more salt and pepper. Transfer to a 9x13" baking dish, and cover loosely with foil.
- Roast turkey in preheated oven for 1 hour, then increase heat to 400F and remove foil. Continue baking for 15-25 minutes longer, basting occasionally with pan drippings, until a meat thermometer registers an internal temperature of 165F and juices run clear. Let stand for 15 minutes, then cut into thick slices to serve.
- Prep Time: 20 mins
- Cook Time: 1 hour 30 mins
- Category: Main
- Method: Baked
- Cuisine: Canadian