Make the most of fresh herbs in this tasty chicken ballotine.
Ingredients
- 4 chicken thigh fillets, finely chopped
- 1 eggwhite
- 1/2 cup (125ml) thickened cream
- 1/2 bunch flat-leaf parsley, leaves finely chopped
- 1/2 bunch chervil, leaves finely chopped
- 1/2 bunch tarragon, leaves finely chopped
- 1/2 bunch chives, finely chopped
- 100g haloumi, grated
- 1.8kg chicken, boned (see notes)
- 200g flat pancetta
- 50g melted unsalted butter
- 250g fresh peas or frozen peas, blanched for 1 minute, refreshed
- 250g podded fresh broad beans or frozen broad beans, blanched for 1 minute, refreshed, skins removed
- 1 cup (250ml) hot chicken jus (optional, see notes)
Equipment
- You'll need a trussing needle and kitchen string from kitchenware shops.
Method
- Step 1To make the filling, place chicken thigh meat in a food processor with eggwhite and cream, then season. Whiz to a coarse paste, then transfer to a bowl. Stir through herbs and haloumi.
- Step 2Place the boned chicken, skin-side down, on a work surface and season. Lay half the pancetta widthways across the centre, then top with the filling. Roll up the chicken tightly, tucking in the ends as you go, ensuring the skin completely encloses the chicken.
- Step 3Using a trussing needle and kitchen string, sew up the chicken, then tie at 2cm intervals with string. Tightly wrap in a double layer of foil and form into a log. Chill for at least 2 hours or overnight.
- Step 4Preheat oven to 180C. Place wrapped chicken on a rack set over a roasting pan. Half-fill pan with boiling water, then roast chicken for 11/4 hours. Remove foil, baste chicken with butter, then roast, basting occasionally, for a further 15-20 minutes until golden and cooked through.
- Step 5Cover with foil and rest for 10 minutes. Meanwhile, finely chop remaining 100g pancetta and cook in a frypan over medium-low heat for 8-10 minutes until fat has rendered. Drain fat, reserving it to cook the potatoes, if you like (see recipe below). Increase heat to medium-high and cook pancetta until crisp. Add peas and broad beans, tossing to heat through.
- Step 6Thickly slice chicken, then place on a platter, top with pea mixture and drizzle with hot chicken jus, if using.
- High protein
- Low carb
- Low sugar
- Lower gi
Nutrition
3066 kj
Energy
32.8g
Fat Total
13.5g
Saturated Fat
3.8g
Fibre
96g
Protein
289mg
Cholesterol
1140mg
Sodium
2.4g
Carbs (sugar)
8.1g
Carbs (total)
All nutrition values are per serve
Notes
Ask your butcher to bone the whole chicken for you. Chicken jus is a rich reduced stock that can be used as a sauce. It’s available from selected butchers and gourmet food shops.
- Author: Valli Little
- Image credit: Jeremy Simons
- Publication: Taste.com.au
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