Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.

Melt 1 tablespoon of butter in a sauté pan over medium heat.

Add the apple and thyme sprigs to the pan and cook until the apple begins to soften, about 3-4 minutes.

Transfer the apple mixture to a mixing bowl and stir in the cheddar cheese, 1 teaspoon of salt, pepper, and poultry seasoning.

Lay the chicken thighs out flat and spoon an even amount of the apple mixture onto each thigh.

Roll the thighs up tightly and secure with toothpicks.

Season the outside of each thigh with the remaining salt.

In the same sauté pan, melt 1 tablespoon of butter over medium heat.

Add the chicken thighs and sear on all sides until golden brown, about 1-2 minutes per side.

Transfer the thighs to a baking dish and place in the preheated oven.

Bake for 35-40 minutes, or until the chicken is cooked through and the internal temperature reaches 165 degrees F.

While the chicken is baking, melt the remaining butter in the sauté pan over medium heat.

Add the flour and minced garlic, and cook for 1-2 minutes until the flour is golden brown.

Slowly whisk in the chicken stock and heavy cream, making sure to scrape up any browned bits from the bottom of the pan.

Bring the mixture to a simmer and cook for 5-7 minutes until thickened.

Remove from the heat and stir in the lemon juice.

Serve the stuffed chicken thighs over rice and drizzle with the creamy sauce.

Garnish with additional thyme sprigs, if desired.