Here's my recipe for chicken breasts with a twist. Hunter's chicken a la canard is made with succulent chicken breasts stuffed with pate and mushrooms and wrapped in bacon with a tasty golden, melted cheese topping. A mushroom and Marsala sauce ties it all together. It's a simple idea, but it makes a really tasty supper that tastes just that little bit different.
Hunter's chicken is such a tasty meal. I mean, how can you improve on juicy chicken breasts, wrapped in bacon, topped with cheese, and oven-baked until the bacon is crispy and the cheese is melted and golden?
Well, I'm here to tell you that you can! Stuff the chicken with a tasty mix of duck liver pate and mushrooms, add a creamy mushroom sauce flavoured with more duck liver pate and Marsala wine, and you have a super tasty dish of Hunter's chicken a la canard!
The flavour is rich and savoury, with the earthy mushroom flavour balancing the smooth duck liver and the smokiness of the bacon. The Marsala adds a slight sweetness to the sauce and brings everything together without being overpowering. Every bite has a lovely mix of textures and flavours - tender chicken, crispy bacon, gooey cheese and a silky sauce that ties everything together.
Hunter's chicken a la canard feels and sounds a little bit special, but it's a breeze to make. It only takes half an hour to prep, then it's into the oven for another 35 minutes. Perfect for a meal when you want to spoil the family, but don't want to spend hours in the kitchen.
This pate-stuffed chicken recipe actually came about after I'd made a batch of duck liver pate, eaten some of it with crackers (as you do!), but still had a lot leftover (as you do!). So I decided to use some of it to stuff into chicken breasts and the remainder to stir into the sauce. All I can say is it was lip-smackingly delicious!
Serve the stuffed chicken breasts with your choice of vegetables, then sit back and wait for the compliments. I can guarantee there'll be plenty!
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Why you'll love this pate-stuffed chicken recipe
- .⭐Easy to make - once you've made the filling, it's just a matter of stuffing it in the chicken and wrapping the chicken in bacon. Then it's into the oven to bake.
- ⭐Time-saving - the sauce and the filling start with the same ingredients in one pan, then half of the mixture is used to stuff the chicken breasts while the remainder is turned into the delicious sauce.
- ⭐The duck liver pate is used for both the chicken filling and the sauce, pulling the dish together beautifully.
- ⭐Perfect for a simple family supper or elegant enough for a fancy dinner party.
- ⭐Pairs perfectly with mashed potatoes and steamed vegetables for a well-balanced meal.
Recipe information
Prep time: 20 minutes - which includes making the sauce and filling, and assembling the chicken for the oven.
Cooking time: 35 minutes in the oven
Yield: Serves 4. I used 2 large chicken breasts, and we sliced one, which was sufficient for 2 people. You could use 4 smaller breasts if you are making this for a dinner party, so each person gets a whole breast.
Ingredients for hunter's chicken a la canard
**You can find the exact ingredient measurements on the printable recipe card at the end of this post.**
- Chicken breasts - you should allow 3 to 4 ounces (or 85 to 113 grams) per person. The chicken breasts I used were quite large and weighed around 8 ounces each, so one breast was sufficient for 2 people. If you want to serve each person an entire breast, look for smaller ones.
- Bacon - I like to use streaky bacon for this recipe because it contains a lot of fat, which renders during baking, keeping the chicken moist and juicy. You could use back bacon if you prefer.
- Duck liver pate - you can use shop-bought pate, or make your own using this recipe - creamy duck liver pate. It doesn't take long to make. If you would rather use pate made with chicken livers, you can absolutely use that instead. Here's my chicken liver pate recipe. The pate will be mixed into the filling for the chicken breasts, and also used to thicken and flavour the sauce.
- Butter - used for softening the onions.
- Mushrooms - used in both the filling and the sauce. I used chestnut mushrooms, but white mushrooms are fine to use instead. They should be finely sliced.
- Garlic - one or two cloves of finely minced garlic add extra flavour. Leave it out if you don't like garlic.
- Onion - this should be peeled and finely diced. For a milder flavour, substitute with shallots.
- Cheese - good old cheddar, which should be grated as it will be sprinkled over the chicken before it goes into the oven. Use any cheese that melts well.
- Marsala - this is a sweet dessert wine and is used in the sauce. Substitute with Madeira, Pork or even Sherry.
- Cream - this is double or heavy cream and is used in the sauce. Double cream is preferable to single cream as it is less likely to split.
- Stock - I used chicken stock, which I made with a stock cube. If you have fresh chicken stock, you could use that instead.
- Dried thyme - which, for some reason (probably brain freeze), got left out of the photo. I love the taste of thyme with mushrooms, but you could substitute it with any herb of your choice. Rosemary comes closest in flavour, but parsley would work too. Leave it out if you prefer.
Instructions
Make the filling
Step 1: Melt the butter over medium heat in a pan, then add the onions and saute for about 5 minutes until they turn translucent.
Step 2: Add the sliced mushrooms, minced garlic and thyme and stir over moderate heat until the mushrooms soften.
Step 3: Stir in the Marsala wine and bubble for 2 minutes.
Step 4: Transfer half of the mixture to a bowl and mix in the pate. Taste for seasoning, add salt to taste if necessary, and set aside while you prepare the chicken.. Leave the remaining mushroom mixture in the pan. This will be used to make the sauce once the chicken is in the oven.
Stuff the chicken
Step 5: Slice the chicken breasts through the middle to butterfly them. Do not cut all the way through. Sprinkle them very lightly with salt on both sides.
Step 6: Divide the filling equally between the chicken breasts and cover half of each breast with the filling.
Step 7: Fold the chicken over the filling to enclose it, and wrap each breast in strips of bacon.
Step 8: Transfer the wrapped chicken to a lightly oiled baking dish.
Step 9: Bake the chicken (uncovered) in a preheated oven (180°C / 360°F) for 20 to 25 minutes, then remove it from the oven and sprinkle the top of each piece of chicken with grated cheese.
Step 10: Return the chicken to the oven and bake for a further 10 minutes until the cheese is melted and golden and the chicken is fully cooked. The juices should run clear, and the internal temperature (if you have a thermometer) should register 74°C or 165°F.
Make the sauce
Make the sauce while the chicken is in the oven.
Step 11: Add the chicken stock to the reserved pan of mushrooms and bring to a boil. Let it bubble for 3 to 4 minutes until the stock reduces slightly.
Step 12: Remove from the heat and stir in the cream. Return the pan to a low heat (turn the heat down) and let it simmer for 3 to 4 minutes.
Step 12: Remove the pan from the heat and stir in the pate, taking care to allow the pate to dissolve into the sauce to thicken it. Leave it to simmer for another minute, just to heat it through, and adjust the seasoning if necessary. Serve the sauce alongside the chicken.
Tips for a successful outcome
Here are my top tips to ensure your Hunter's chicken a la canard always turns out perfectly:
- Don't allow the onions to brown, they should cook slowly until they are just translucent.
- Only salt the filling once you have tasted it. There may be enough seasoning in the pate to season the filling.
- Don't be too heavy-handed with the salt when salting the chicken. There will be seasoning in the filling, and bacon can be quite salty too.
- The actual cooking time for the chicken will vary depending on the size of the chicken breasts. Smaller breasts can be cooked for 20 minutes; larger ones can take up to 5 minutes longer.
- Allow the chicken to rest for 5 minutes when it comes out of the oven if you intend to slice it for serving.
- The addition of the double cream and pate should be enough to thicken the sauce. If you think the sauce is too thin, you can either leave it uncovered on a low heat until it thickens naturally, or you can stir in a slurry of 1 teaspoon of cornflour, which has been mixed with a little water to form a smooth paste. Stir this slowly into the sauce over a low heat until it thickens to your liking. You may not need all the cornflour mixture.
- Do not boil the sauce once the cream and pate have been added, or it may split. Keep the heat low.
Serving suggestions
You can serve the chicken either sliced or whole (depending on the size of the breasts.
If you intend to slice it, cut it on the diagonal into 4 or 5 medallions.
Serve the chicken (either whole or sliced) with a drizzle of the sauce and serve the remaining sauce in a gravy boat for those who would like extra.
I like to serve the chicken with starch such as rice, mashed potatoes or a vegetable mash, and fresh vegetables.
Here are a few suggestions you might like to try:
- Spring green potato mash
- Fresh buttered corn and rice
- Minted smashed peas
- Glazed carrots
- Buttered cabbage
In the image below, the chicken is served with spring green potato mash, roasted beetroot and butternut. The earthy flavour of the roasted beetroot pairs amazingly well with the mushrooms!
Variations
Here are a few ways in which you could vary this dish:
- I've already mentioned that you can use chicken liver pate instead of duck liver pate.
- Use ham instead of bacon. Parma ham or prosciutto is less fatty than bacon, and it crisps up beautifully. If swapping out the bacon or ham, I would be inclined to cook the dish covered for the first 20/25 minutes and only remove the cover once the chicken has been sprinkled with cheese. This will give the ham time to crisp without drying out.
- Swap the cheese. Experiment with different cheeses - try mozzarella for a gooey melt or blue cheese for a stronger flavour.
- No alcohol. Replace the wine with extra stock and add a splash of balsamic vinegar for depth.
- Cook vegetables with the chicken. To save time, you could roast vegetables in the same dish as the chicken. Butternut squash, carrots, beetroot and bell peppers would all cook perfectly in the time the chicken takes to cook.
Equipment
These are the main items of equipment you will need to make this bacon-wrapped stuffed chicken recipe:
- Frying pan or saucepan for making the sauce.
- Small bowl for mixing the filling.
- Baking dish or baking tray for baking the chicken. I like to line my baking pan with tin foil for easier clean up.
- Sharp knife for chopping up vegetables and butterflying the chicken.
- Spatula for stirring.
Storage
Leftover chicken can be stored in a covered container in the refrigerator for 2 to 3 days. You can reheat it either in the oven or the microwave; however, if you use the microwave, the bacon won't be as crispy.
Freezing
You can freeze the chicken either uncooked (I think this is the best option) or cooked.
To freeze uncooked:
- Prepare the chicken breasts (stuff and wrap in bacon).
- Place them on a baking tray and freeze until solid, then wrap individually in clingfilm or foil and store them in a freezer bag.
- Freeze for up to 3 months.
- To cook: defrost overnight in the refrigerator then bake as per the recipe instructions.
To freeze cooked:
- Allow any leftovers to cool before freezing.
- Wrap them in clingfilm or foil and place them in a freezer bag.'
- Freeze for up to 2 months.
- Reheat in the oven from frozen, covered loosely with foil at 160C / 320F, for about 15 minutes until piping hot.
- The bacon won't be quite as crispy, but it will still taste good!
The sauce:
- Freeze the sauce separately from the chicken.
- I like to freeze it in a plastic container. You can freeze it in this way for up to 3 months.
- Defrost it in the refrigerator and then reheat in a saucepan on the stove on low heat. Stir occasionally, and if it starts to split, add a splash of stock or cream to bring it back together.
Top Tip
Don't overfill the chicken.
A generous spoonful of duck liver and mushroom mixture is plenty - too much and it will squeeze out as the chicken cooks, which will make the bacon slip, and consequently the breast will be harder to slice neatly.
FAQ
Hunter's chicken is a classic British pub dish - usually made with plain chicken breasts wrapped in bacon, and topped with cheese and a barbeque sauce. My version takes a little inspiration from French cooking (loosely translated, 'a la canard' means 'with duck'), using duck liver pate, mushrooms and a creamy sauce. It's not a traditional French recipe, but rather a fusion of hearty British food with a French twist.
Apart from duck or chicken liver pate, you might like to try stuffing the chicken with mushroom pate.
Yes, stuff the chicken, wrap it in bacon a day in advance, cover it with foil and store it in the refrigerator. Bake according to the recipe. Finish making the sauce and store it separately. Warm the sauce in a saucepan.
Save for later
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Alternatively, you can save the recipe by clicking on the floating heart icon on the right-hand side of the screen.
Related recipes
Visit my chicken and poultry recipes page for other tasty ways to serve chicken or duck. Here are a few you might enjoy:
📋The recipe
Hunter's chicken a la canard
(Click the stars to rate this recipe)
Equipment
- Frying Pan OR
- Saucepan
- Baking tray
- Sharp Knife
- Spatula
Ingredients
- 1 pound / 450 grams chicken breast fillets
- 8 ounces / 225 grams streaky bacon to wrap the chicken
- 2 tablespoons duck liver pate for the filling
- 1 large onion peeled and diced
- 8 ounces / 225 grams mushrooms finely sliced
- 1 ounce / 30 grams butter
- 2 cloves garlic finely minced
- 1 teaspoon dried thyme
- ½ cup / 60 grams grated cheddar cheese
- 1 cup / 240 ml chicken stock use a stock cube to make it
- ¼ cup / 60 ml Marsala wine
- ½ cup / 120 ml double or heavy cream
- 2 tablespoons duck liver pate for the sauce
- 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
- Salt to taste
Instructions
Make the filling
- Melt the butter over medium heat in a pan, then add the onions and saute for about 5 minutes until they turn translucent.1 ounce / 30 grams butter, 1 large onion
- Add the sliced mushrooms, minced garlic and thyme and stir over moderate heat until the mushrooms soften.8 ounces / 225 grams mushrooms, 2 cloves garlic, 1 teaspoon dried thyme
- Stir in the Marsala wine and bubble for 2 minutes.¼ cup / 60 ml Marsala wine
- Transfer half of the mixture to a bowl and mix in the pate. Taste for seasoning, add salt to taste if necessary, and set aside while you prepare the chicken.. Leave the remaining mushroom mixture in the pan. This will be used to make the sauce once the chicken is in the oven.2 tablespoons duck liver pate
Stuff the chicken
- Slice the chicken breasts through the middle to butterfly them. Do not cut all the way through. Sprinkle them very lightly with salt on both sides.1 pound / 450 grams chicken breast fillets, Salt to taste
- Divide the filling equally between the chicken breasts and cover half of each breast with the filling.
- Fold the chicken over the filling to enclose it, and wrap each breast in strips of bacon.8 ounces / 225 grams streaky bacon
- Transfer the wrapped chicken to a lightly oiled baking dish.1 tablespoon vegetable oil
- Bake the chicken (uncovered) in a preheated oven (190°C / 380°F) for 20 to 25 minutes, then remove it from the oven and sprinkle the top of each piece of chicken with grated cheese.½ cup / 60 grams grated cheddar cheese
- Return the chicken to the oven and bake for a further 10 minutes until the cheese is melted and golden and the chicken is fully cooked. The juices should run clear, and the internal temperature (if you have a thermometer) should register 74°C or 165°F.
Make the sauce
- Add the chicken stock to the reserved pan of mushrooms and bring to a boil. Let it bubble for 3 to 4 minutes until the stock reduces slightly.1 cup / 240 ml chicken stock
- Remove from the heat and stir in the cream. Return the pan to a low heat (turn the heat down) and let it simmer for 3 to 4 minutes.½ cup / 120 ml double or heavy cream
- Remove the pan from the heat and stir in the pate, taking care to allow the pate to dissolve into the sauce to thicken it. Leave it to simmer for another minute, just to heat it through, and adjust the seasoning if necessary. Serve the sauce alongside the chicken.2 tablespoons duck liver pate
Notes
- Don't allow the onions to brown, they should cook slowly until they are just translucent.
- Only salt the filling once you have tasted it. There may be enough seasoning in the pate to season the filling.
- Don't be too heavy-handed with the salt when salting the chicken. There will be seasoning in the filling, and bacon can be quite salty too.
- The actual cooking time for the chicken will vary depending on the size of the chicken breasts. Smaller breasts can be cooked for 20 minutes; larger ones can take up to 5 minutes longer.
- Allow the chicken to rest for 5 minutes when it comes out of the oven if you intend to slice it for serving.
- The addition of the double cream and pate should be enough to thicken the sauce. If you think the sauce is too thin, you can either leave it uncovered on a low heat until it thickens naturally, or you can stir in a slurry of 1 teaspoon of cornflour, which has been mixed with a little water to form a smooth paste. Stir this slowly into the sauce over a low heat until it thickens to your liking. You may not need all the cornflour mixture.
- Do not boil the sauce once the cream and pate have been added, or it may split. Keep the heat low.
- Substitute the duck liver pate with chicken liver pate.
- Use ham instead of bacon. Parma ham or prosciutto is less fatty than bacon, and it crisps up beautifully. If swapping out the bacon or ham, I would be inclined to cook the dish covered for the first 20/25 minutes and only remove the cover once the chicken has been sprinkled with cheese. This will give the ham time to crisp without drying out.
- Swap the cheese. Experiment with different cheeses - try mozzarella for a gooey melt or blue cheese for a stronger flavour.
- No alcohol. Replace the wine with extra stock and add a splash of balsamic vinegar for depth.
- Cook vegetables with the chicken. To save time, you could roast vegetables in the same dish as the chicken. Butternut squash, carrots, beetroot and bell peppers would all cook perfectly in the time the chicken takes to cook.
- Leftover chicken can be stored in a covered container in the refrigerator for 2 to 3 days. You can reheat it either in the oven or the microwave; however, if you use the microwave, the bacon won't be as crispy.
To freeze uncooked:
- Prepare the chicken breasts (stuff and wrap in bacon).
- Place them on a baking tray and freeze until solid, then wrap individually in clingfilm or foil and store them in a freezer bag.
- Freeze for up to 3 months.
- To cook: defrost overnight in the refrigerator then bake as per the recipe instructions.
- Allow any leftovers to cool before freezing.
- Wrap them in clingfilm or foil and place them in a freezer bag.'
- Freeze for up to 2 months.
- Reheat in the oven from frozen, covered loosely with foil at 160C / 320F, for about 15 minutes until piping hot.
- The bacon won't be quite as crispy, but it will still taste good!
Nutrition
I am not a nutritionist. The nutrition information has been calculated using an on-line calculator, and is intended for information and guidance purposes only. If the nutrition information is important to you, you should consider calculating it yourself, using your preferred tool.
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John Armstrong says
Hunter’s chicken a la canard is clearly a first class dish—it is going on our menu of dishes we serve to special guests.
VJ says
I hope you enjoy it John. I'll be making it myself this week actually - I've got the remains of my Christmas pate to use up!