Chicken Ballotine

Prep Time : Approx. 1 hour Serves 4

Ingredients

  • 2 tbsp olive oil, separated
  • 1⁄2 chopped Leeks
  • 1⁄2 cup black California Ripe Olives, sliced
  • 1 1⁄2 cups U.S grown - Jasmine rice
  • 3 cups of chicken broth
  • ¼ cup light cream (or dairy substitute) 
  • 2 tbsp butter
  • Salt and pepper, to taste
  • 1⁄3 cup grated Parmesan cheese
  • 2 chicken breasts, boneless & with skin
  • You’ll need kitchen twine.

Sauce (Optional)

  • 1/2 sweet onion, thinly sliced
  • 1 small carrot, peeled and sliced
  • 1 celery rib, sliced
  • 1 tbsp neutral oil
  • 1 cup dry white wine
  • 1 cup chicken broth
  • 1 tsp cornstarch
  • 1 tbsp water
  • 1 tbsp minced fresh flat-leaf parsley
  • 1 tsp minced fresh chives
  • Salt & Pepper, to taste

Directions

Olive & Leek Rice

  1. Coat the pan with 1 tbsp olive oil and lightly sauté leeks and olives.
  2. In the same pan, add the rice and toast for 1 minute.
  3. Add chicken broth, let simmer on low heat for 20 minutes until rice is 80 percent cooked.
  4. Stir in cream and butter and season to taste.
  5. Stir in Parmesan.
  6. Once done set aside to assemble the dish.

Chicken

As a Chef, I break down my chicken into cuts but you can save this step and buy boneless chicken breasts with skin on from your local grocer.

  1. Separate the skin with your hands or you can use a spoon. Set skin aside.
  2. Lay each breast between two sheets of cling wrap and flatten with a rolling pin or mallet. You can flatten as thin as you like.
  3. Place flattened chicken on the skin then add rice a few tbsp of prepared rice. When you roll the chicken start close to your body and roll forward.
  4. When you twine the chicken don’t tie the knot to tight or you will lose the rice mixture in the middle.
  5. Using remaining 1 tbsp oil, sear chicken in pan on all sides. Place on a baking sheet, in a preheated oven at 350°F for 25 minutes.
  6. Let rest for 10 minutes before you slice, into halves.

Sauce (Optional)

  1. Cook onion, carrot and celery in hot oil in a Dutch oven over medium-high heat, stirring occasionally, 3 to 4 minutes or until tender. Do not overcook.
  2. Add white wine & broth to onion mixture, increase heat to high, and bring to a boil. Boil, stirring occasionally, 3 to 5 minutes or until wine is reduced by three-fourths.
  3. Pour sauce through a fine wire-mesh strainer into a small saucepan, discarding solids. Let stand 10 minutes, skim any fat from sauce.
  4. Whisk together cornstarch and cool water. Whisk cornstarch mixture into sauce. Return to a boil over medium-high heat, stirring constantly. Reduce heat to low, and simmer 10 minutes or to desired consistency. Stir in parsley and chives; add salt and pepper to taste.

To Serve

Divide remaining rice into 4 portions and plate. Top with prepared chicken.
Serve with vegetables of your choice. We like it with sautéed mushrooms and rapini, and garnished with extra olives, then sauce.

Recipe by:

Joe Friday

Developed in collaboration with USA Rice.