Bacon-Wrapped Turkey Breast with Wild Rice Stuffing and Cranberry-Apple Chutney

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! Nothing like roasting a 10lb bird for 4 people then finding yourself stuck eating cold dark meat for days. Maybe that’s your jam, but if not, this dish is for you.

Lean turkey breast is butterflied then stuffed with creamy wild rice, and 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.

Thanksgiving is notorious for being a tiny bit stressful, what with all the dishes to prepare, but this recipe is Easy with a capital E. 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. First saute 1 large chopped shallot with 1 rib chopped celery in 1 Tablespoon 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 1/4 cup dried cranberries and 1/2 cup low fat sour cream (I would not sub in Greek yogurt) 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 used a 12-oz turkey breast tenderloin, which is usually packaged in pairs. If you’re feeding four, I’d 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. I usually use a rolling pin to do this – works like a charm! 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. In the original recipe I used toothpicks to hold the turkey shut, but it’s not needed as the bacon hold everything together.

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.

Combine 1 can whole-berry cranberry sauce with 1 chopped Granny Smith apple, the juice of 1 orange, 1 large shopped shallot and seasonings like garam masala (I find that at Target under the Archer Farms brand,) red chili pepper flakes, fresh ginger, and 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!

Bacon-Wrapped Turkey Breast with Wild Rice Stuffing and Cranberry-Apple Chutney

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Description

Bacon-Wrapped Turkey Breast with Wild Rice Stuffing and Cranberry-Apple Chutney is perfect for a small crowd!

Ingredients

serves 2-3

• 1 Tablespoon butter
• 1 rib celery, chopped
• 1 large shallot (or 1/2 small onion,) chopped
• salt and pepper
• 6oz package wild rice mix
• 1/4 cup dried cranberries
• 1/2 cup low fat sour cream
• 3/4lb boneless turkey breast tenderloins (or 1-1/2lbs if feeding more than 2-3. You'll have enough stuffing to make 1-1/2lbs worth of turkey)
• salt & pepper
• 6 slices bacon (or 12 if making 1-1/2lbs turkey)
• For the Cranberry-Apple Chutney:
  • 14oz 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
  • Juice of 1 orange

Directions

1. 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 and simmer for 30 minutes, stirring every so often. Remove ginger then cool slightly, and then chill completely in the refrigerator. Can be done 2-3 days ahead of time.
2. Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Line a baking sheet with foil then set aside.
3. 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 then cook according to package directions. Stir in dried cranberries and sour cream then set aside to cool slightly. Can be done 1-2 days ahead of time.
4. 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.
5. Season 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.
6. 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.

This recipe is courtesy of Iowa Girl Eats, http://iowagirleats.com.