Bacon-Wrapped Turkey Breast with Wild Rice Stuffing and Cranberry-Apple Chutney is moist, tender, and full of fall flavors!
Bacon-Wrapped Turkey Breast with Wild Rice Stuffing and Cranberry-Apple Chutney is perfect to serve at Thanksgiving if you’ve only got a small crowd to feed!
Lean turkey breast is butterflied and stuffed with creamy wild rice then wrapped with bacon. After a quick roast, the turkey is sliced then served with homemade Cranberry-Apple Chutney, which sounds fancy but all you have to do is throw a bunch of stuff in a pot and let it simmer for 30 minutes.
This dish is super impressive and chock full of savory flavors, but is actually very easy!
Thanksgiving is notorious for being a tiny bit stressful, what with all the dishes to prepare, but all the components can be made/prepped a day or two beforehand, and have I mentioned how delicious it is?
If you are feeding a crowd this year, keep this recipe in your back pocket for a festive meal later this winter. You’ll love it!
Start by making the Wild Rice Stuffing.
Saute chopped shallots and celery in butter until tender, about 5 minutes. Next add a 6oz package wild rice mix, along with the amount of water called for on the package. Pop a lid on top then cook according to package directions.
When the rice is tender, stir in dried cranberries and sour cream then set aside. You can make the wild rice stuffing up to two days ahead of time then refrigerate until you’re ready to use.
Next turn to the turkey – can’t have Thanksgiving without it!
I like these pre-packaged turkey breast tenderloins, which usually come in pairs. If you’re feeding four, make both. If it’s just two or three, you’ll just need one. You’ll have enough stuffing to make both if you want.
Use a sharp knife to butterfly the tenderloin then place a piece of saran wrap on top and pound until 1/2″ thick. This is also something you can do a couple of days in advance.
Season the butterflied turkey with salt and pepper then mound 1 cup wild rice stuffing on one side and fold the other side over. Lay 6 strips bacon on a foil-lined baking sheet then place the turkey on top and wrap the bacon slices around the turkey, trimming any overlapping bacon.
Roast for 40 minutes at 375 degrees, finishing with a broil blast if needed to really get the bacon sizzling!
You can serve the turkey with or without the Cranberry-Apple Chutney, but I highly recommend that you do. I LOVE this chutney, which has a bite thanks to apple cider vinegar, red chili pepper flakes, and fresh ginger. It’s such a fun twist on regular cranberry sauce, and it’s best made a day ahead of time so it can be chilled.
In a small saucepan combine:
- Canned whole-berry cranberry sauce
- Chopped Granny Smith apple
- Fresh squeezed orange juice
- Chopped shallot
- Garam masala
- Red chili pepper flakes
- Fresh ginger
- Apple cider vinegar.
Bring to a boil then reduce the heat and let simmer for 30 minutes. Chill in the fridge.
All together now! Thickly slice the bacon-wrapped and stuffed turkey breast then serve alongside the chilled Cranberry-Apple Chutney and extra wild rice stuffing.
Give thanks, then dig in already!
Ingredients
- 1 Tablespoon butter
- 1 rib celery, chopped
- 1 large shallot or 1/2 small onion, , chopped
- salt and pepper
- 6 oz package wild rice mix
- 1/4 cup dried cranberries
- 1/2 cup sour cream
- 3/4 lb boneless turkey breast tenderloin, or 1-1/2lbs if feeding more than 2-3. You'll have enough stuffing to make 1-1/2lbs worth of turkey
- 6 slices bacon, or 12 if making 1-1/2lbs turkey
For the Cranberry-Apple Chutney:
- 14 oz can whole-berry cranberry sauce
- 1 Granny Smith apple, chopped
- 1 large shallot or 1/2 small onion, chopped
- 1/4 cup apple cider vinegar
- 1/4 teaspoon red chili pepper flakes
- 1/4 teaspoon garam masala
- 1" knob fresh ginger, peeled
- 1 orange, juiced
Directions
For the Cranberry-Apple Chutney:
- Combine all ingredients in a saucepan then bring to a boil. Place a lid on top then reduce heat to medium-low and simmer for 30 minutes, stirring every so often. Remove ginger then cool slightly, and then chill completely in the refrigerator. Can be made 2-3 days ahead of time.
For the turkey:
- Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Line a baking sheet with foil then set aside.
- Melt butter in a medium-sized saucepan over medium heat. Add celery and shallot then season with salt and pepper and saute until tender, 5 minutes. Add wild rice mix, including amount of water called for on package, then place a lid on top, turn heat down to medium-low, and cook according to package directions. Stir in dried cranberries and sour cream then set aside to cool slightly. Can be made 1-2 days ahead of time.
- Using a sharp knife, butterfly turkey breast by slicing horizontally across the length of the breast, being careful not to cut all the way through. Open like a book then place a piece of plastic wrap on top and pound until 1/2" thick. Can be done 1-2 days ahead of time.
- Season butterflied turkey with salt and pepper then scoop 1 cup wild rice mixture onto one half of the turkey, and then spread leaving 1/2" clear on the sides. Fold the other half other.
- Lay bacon on prepared baking sheet then place stuffed turkey breast on top and fold bacon slices over, trimming any overlapping pieces. Bake for 40 minutes, or until the internal temperature reaches 160 degrees, finishing with a few minutes under the broiler if bacon needs to crisp up a little bit. Let turkey rest for 10 minutes then slice and serve with Cranberry-Apple Chutney.
Nutrition
Nutritional values are estimates only. Please read our full nutrition information disclaimer.
I really want to make this recipe, like NOW! but my wife is allergic to dairy and not a fan of the cashew sour cream. Do you think it would work without the sour cream? Or do you have any other ideas to make it dairy free creamy?
Hi Kristi! I think you could leave it out and the stuffing will still be ok – just might now hold together as well. The flavor will still be delicious though!
This was SSSSSOOOOOOO good!
The sauce was great and the turkey a hit. Just a few questions – I grated the ginger root – was I supposed to just let it cook then take it out? And garam masala was impossible to find – was it a key spice?
Also, I prepared the rice with its seasoning packet – was I supposed to or just do your steps?
Hey Steve! The ginger is intended to be taken out, though if you like a strong ginger flavor you could grate and keep in as you did. Garam masala is a key spicy in chutney so I hope you liked it without! Also you prepared the rice correctly with the seasoning packet! :)
This was phenomenal! We made it Saturday night for our own little two-person Christmas celebration and not only was it easy, it was absolutely delicious. Seriously, I couldn’t get over it. Mid-meal, I vowed to rely on this recipe if I ever have to cook for a special occasion. Just wonderful :)
This was our Thanksgiving dinner today, and it was FANTASTIC! The recommendation to make the rice a day ahead is one to consider… great time-saver plus I think the fact that it came out of the fridge before we put it in the breasts made it easier to handle. We added Brussels sprouts, mashed potatoes and gravy, deviled eggs, spinach salad, yams and rolls to our menu. Thanks for the great recipes!
In the oven as I type this! Hope it looks/tastes as good as yours!
This post doesn’t contain any pictures of Lincoln.. and that makes me sad.
Just kidding! Looks delicious — can’t wait to pin it and try it! :)