How to Make a Roast Chicken Roll
Next time you’re hosting a dinner party, consider this alternative to a roast chicken. It’s just as spectacular and surprisingly easy to make.
To start, prepare your filling by pan frying the pancetta until nice and crispy and then add your fresh herbs and spices. Finish it off with some white wine and simmer until almost reduced. Keep that pan handy! We’ll use it for browning the chicken and making the cream sauce.
Next, using a very sharp knife, you’ll need to butterfly your chicken breasts. This is done by slicing the chicken breasts in half horizontally.
To flatten the chicken, simply place your butterflied chicken in between two pieces of plastic wrap and gently pound the chicken until it’s about a ¼ inch thick. Don’t have a mallet? A heavy sauce pan or wine bottle will do in a pinch.
To roll the chicken, place the butterflied chicken side-by-side (they should overlap slightly) on another large piece of plastic wrap, place the filling down the centre and, using the plastic wrap, roll the chicken into one long log. Place in the refrigerator until firm, about an hour.
In your pan, brown the chicken on all sides over medium-high heat and transfer to a baking sheet. Bake for 40 to 45 minutes. While the chicken is roasting, you can make your cream sauce using the same pan you browned the chicken in. Don’t forget to scrape up all the yummy brown bits! If you’re not sure how to tell if your chicken is ready, insert an instant-read thermometer in the centre of the roast and once it registers 165°F it’s done. Let stand for 10 minutes before slicing into 1-inch thick medallions and top it off with your cream sauce.
Pairs well with some crispy roast potatoes and steamed haricots verts.
Get the full recipe here.
