Saucy Rossy BBQ
Chicken

Sausage Stuffed Chicken Breast

A butterflied chicken breast stuffed with rosemary-garlic sausage, seasoned boldly, and glazed with candied cranberry hot sauce.

Time45 min bake Prep15 min YieldServes 2–4 CategoryChicken Watch4:52
Sausage Stuffed Chicken Breast — watch on YouTube

Watch the full cook on YouTube

Method

  1. 1Butterfly the chicken breast open and season the inside with Unreal Pepper Rub and Garden Herb.Butterfly by cutting horizontally almost through and opening it like a book, then pound to an even thickness. That even sheet is what lets it roll neatly and cook uniformly.
  2. 2Add the rosemary & garlic sausage (casing removed) to the centre, roll tightly, and secure with butcher's twine.Squeezing the sausage out of its casing gives you seasoned ground meat with a binder already in it. Keep the filling inside the edges so it does not squeeze out as you roll, and tie every inch or so.
  3. 3Season the outside again with the same rubs and glaze with candied cranberry hot sauce.Season the outside of the rolled breast, not the inside of the meat — the interior already carries its own seasoning and the sausage brings more.
  4. 4Bake at 375°F for 45 minutes until cooked through and juicy.375°F for 45 minutes suits a rolled breast: hot enough to brown, gentle enough that the outside is not dry before the sausage centre reaches temperature.
  5. 5Slice and serve (plated with roasted sweet potatoes and a BBQ ranch chopped salad in the video).Slice between the ties rather than through them, so each medallion stays held together.

Watch it on YouTube

What each ingredient is doing

Chicken breast
Lean and unforgiving on its own, which is exactly why stuffing it helps. The sausage inside renders fat into the breast as it cooks.
Rosemary and garlic sausage
Squeezed out of its casing, so you get seasoned ground pork with a binder already in it. The fat in the sausage is doing real work here, basting a very lean cut from the inside.
Butcher's twine
Not optional. A rolled breast unrolls without it, and it is what lets you slice clean medallions afterwards.
Candied cranberry hot sauce
Sweet-hot glaze. It carries sugar, so watch the colour in the last fifteen minutes and tent with foil if it is running dark.
Pepper rub and garden herb blend
One for heat and bite, one for herbaceous lift. Both go on the inside and the outside.

Temperature guide

StageTempWhat it means
Oven375°F / 190°CHot enough to brown, gentle enough for a thick roll.
TimeAbout 45 minutesFor a standard breast. Thicker rolls take longer.
Chicken target165°F / 74°CIn the chicken itself.
Sausage centre165°F / 74°CThe centre of the filling is the slowest point — probe there.
Rest5–10 minutesBefore slicing between the ties.

Pitmaster tips

  • Butterfly by cutting horizontally almost through and opening it like a book, then pound to an even thickness. That even sheet is what makes a neat roll.
  • Squeeze the sausage out of its casing rather than buying ground pork. It arrives seasoned and with a binder already in it.
  • Keep the filling inside the edges so it does not squeeze out as you roll and tie.
  • Tie every inch or so. A rolled breast without twine unrolls in the oven, and the ties are what let you slice clean medallions.
  • Probe the centre of the sausage filling, not the chicken. The filling is the slowest point to come up to temperature.
  • Season the outside of the rolled breast, not the inside of the meat — the interior already carries seasoning and the sausage brings more.
  • Watch the glaze in the last fifteen minutes. Candied cranberry sauce carries sugar and will darken fast; tent with foil if it runs ahead.
  • Chill the assembled roll for twenty minutes before baking. It firms up and holds its shape far better.
  • Slice between the ties, not through them, so each medallion stays held together.
  • The sausage fat is what makes this work. A stuffed breast is far more forgiving than a plain one because it bastes from the inside.

If it goes wrong

It unrolled in the oven
Not tied at enough points. Tie every inch or so and chill the assembled roll before baking.
The chicken is dry but the sausage is undercooked
Too thick a roll for the heat. Pound the breast thinner and use less filling so both finish together.
The glaze burnt
Sugar in a 45-minute bake. Tent with foil once it reaches the colour you want, or glaze halfway through instead of at the start.
The filling squeezed out
Too much of it, or spread right to the edges. Leave a clear border.
The slices fall apart
Sliced through the ties, or sliced too hot. Rest first and cut between the ties.
It is bland inside
The interior was not seasoned before rolling. Season the butterflied surface as well as the outside.

Ways to change it up

Bacon-wrapped
Wrap the tied roll in bacon before baking. It bastes a lean cut and holds everything together.
Add cheese
A layer of cheese with the sausage. Firmer cheeses hold their place better than soft ones.
Spinach and ricotta
A classic filling if you want it lighter than sausage.
Grill instead
Indirect at 375°F on the grill, same temperatures. Adds smoke.
Make ahead
Assemble and tie up to a day in advance. The roll firms in the fridge and handles much better.

What to serve it with

  • Sliced into medallions so the spiral shows.
  • Roasted sweet potatoes.
  • A chopped salad with BBQ ranch.
  • Extra glaze warmed on the side.
  • Something sharp against the sweet glaze.

Storage & reheating

Cooked stuffed chicken breast keeps 3–4 days refrigerated. Store it whole rather than sliced, since every cut face dries out.

Reheat covered at 325°F with a splash of stock until just heated through. The sausage inside keeps it far more forgiving of reheating than a plain breast would be. It is also very good cold, sliced into sandwiches.

The raw assembled roll freezes for up to three months wrapped tightly, which makes this a good thing to prepare ahead — thaw overnight in the fridge and bake as normal. Cooked, it freezes for about three months, though the texture of the chicken softens on thawing.

FAQ

How do I butterfly a chicken breast?

Lay it flat, hold it steady with your palm, and cut horizontally almost all the way through, stopping short of the far edge. Open it out like a book and pound it gently to an even thickness — that even sheet is what lets it roll neatly and cook uniformly.

What temperature should stuffed chicken breast be cooked to?

165°F, measured in the centre of the sausage filling rather than the chicken. The filling is the slowest point to come up to temperature, so a reading taken in the chicken alone can be twenty degrees ahead of the middle.

How do I stop it unrolling?

Tie it with butcher's twine every inch or so, keep the filling inside the edges rather than spread right to them, and chill the assembled roll for twenty minutes before baking so it firms up.

Why use sausage from a casing rather than ground pork?

It arrives already seasoned and with the binder and fat ratio worked out. The fat is the real point — it renders into a very lean chicken breast as it cooks and bastes it from the inside, which is why a stuffed breast is far more forgiving than a plain one.

Can I assemble it ahead?

Yes, and it handles better for it. Assembled and tied, the roll keeps a day in the fridge and firms up considerably. It also freezes raw for up to three months — thaw overnight and bake as normal.

Why did the glaze burn?

Candied cranberry sauce carries a lot of sugar, and 45 minutes at 375°F is plenty of time for it to darken past where you want. Tent with foil once it reaches the right colour, or hold the glaze back until halfway through the bake.

Know your cook

More information, cause recipe back stories are stupid

No 500-word life story — just the good-to-know stuff on what’s actually in this cook. Here’s the rundown on every real ingredient, health and nutrition wise.

Sausage
Sausages are a tasty protein but tend to be higher in sodium and saturated fat than whole cuts, and cured ones add nitrites. Making them from scratch lets you control the salt and fat ratio; either way, enjoy in moderation.
Chicken
Chicken is a lean, versatile source of complete protein, B vitamins (especially niacin and B6), and selenium. Skinless breast is leanest; thighs and skin add flavour and a little more fat. Always cook poultry to a safe 165°F.
Garlic
Garlic adds big flavour for almost no calories and contains sulphur compounds (like allicin) long studied for heart and immune benefits. It's one of the healthiest ways to season a cook.
Fresh herbs
Fresh herbs add aroma and flavour with virtually no calories, sodium, or fat, plus a small dose of antioxidants. They're one of the easiest ways to season without reaching for salt.

General nutrition info only, not medical or dietary advice — portions, brands and add-ons change the numbers.

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