- 3 apples – peeled, cored and chopped
- 1/4 cup water
- 1 tablespoon chopped fresh thyme
- 2 tablespoons white sugar
- salt and ground black pepper to taste
- 1 cup bread crumbs
- 3/4 cup chicken stock
- 4 boneless, skinless pheasant breast halves
- 8 bacon strips
- 1 cup onion, finely chopped
- 3/4 cup apple cider vinegar
- 1 (16 ounce) can pitted prunes, chopped
- 3/4 cup heavy cream
- Place the apples into a small saucepan with the water, thyme, sugar, and salt. Bring to a boil over high heat, then reduce the heat to medium and simmer until the apples have softened and cooked down to a chunky applesauce, about 15 minutes. Remove the applesauce from the heat and stir in the breadcrumbs.
- Preheat oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C).
- Prepare the pheasant breasts to be stuffed by cutting a pocket horizontally into each breast. Spoon the apple and bread crumb stuffing into each breast. Wrap each breast with two strips of bacon and place them into a baking dish with the chopped onion. Pour the chicken stock over the pheasant breasts and season with salt and pepper.
- Roast the pheasant breasts in the preheated oven until well done and the juices from the meat run clear, 30 to 35 minutes.
- Remove the breasts from the baking dish and cover with aluminum foil. Pour the juices from the baking dish into a small saucepan with the cider vinegar and prunes; bring to a boil over high heat. Stir in the cream and continue to boil until thickened.
- Slice the breasts diagonally and fan out on the serving platter, spoon the prune sauce over the slices to serve.