Ballotine of Chicken


Ingredients

Stuffing

  • 2 lbs dark meat chicken
  • 2 eggs
  • 2 tbsp heavy cream
  • 3 tsp salt
  • small pinch chopped chives
  • fresh marjoram to taste
  • 1 tbsp zaatar (dried thyme & sesame seeds)

Chicken

  • 1 whole skin-on chicken breast
  • salt & pepper to season
  • corn starch
  • 1 square caul fat (sausage casing)
  • vegetable oil for frying

Special Equipment

  • food processor
  • meat thermometer
  • heat-resistant plastic wrap

How-to

Prepare the Chicken Sausage

  1. Add 2 lbs dark meat chicken, 2 eggs, 2 tbsp heavy cream, 3 tsp salt, small pinch chopped chives, fresh marjoram to taste, 1 tbsp zaatar (dried thyme & sesame seeds) to a food processor and process/pulse until it turns into a creamy mousse

Stuff, Wrap & Poach

  1. Sprinkle cornstarch on flesh side of chicken breast to absorb moisture and prepare it for the sausage stuffing
  2. Spread 3-4 large spoonfuls of sausage stuffing on the skin side of chicken breast and pack lightly to spread
  3. Unroll 1 square of caul fat (sausage casing) and lay chicken breast on a diagonal corner.  Roll chicken in casing, using your fingers to pull in on the chicken as you roll to keep the roll tight.  Trim the excess casing on the ends
  4. Wrap the chicken in 1 layer of heat-resistant plastic wrap.  Place chicken at one end of the plastic wrap, and roll up tightly, pulling back on the chicken after each roll to keep the wrap nice and tight
  5. Then take a longer piece of heat-resistant plastic wrap, place the chicken breast in the middle, fold plastic over, grab both ends in your hands, place the chicken down on the work surface and roll it for a nice tight shape.  Then tie the plastic ends gently
  6. Poach in a pot of water cook to internal temp of 165 degrees, about 2-3 hrs.  Check with meat thermometer for doneness

Fry the Chicken

  1. Deep fry in vegetable oil at 350º until golden brown or pan frying is over medium heat