Description
Jamie Oliver’s chicken ballotine delivers Mediterranean flavors with elegant simplicity. Delicate chicken rolls stuffed with herbed ricotta and spinach showcase professional culinary techniques for home cooks seeking restaurant-quality results.
Ingredients
Scale
Main Proteins:
- 4 bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs
Vegetables and Aromatics:
- 1 medium shallot, finely chopped
- 1 medium carrot, finely chopped
- 3 medium cloves garlic, finely chopped
Seasonings and Fats:
- 2 tablespoons (30 milliliters) butter
- 0.5 teaspoons (2.5 milliliters) kosher salt divided, plus more for seasoning skin
- olive oil or other vegetable oil, for brushing the rack
Instructions
- Sauté diced onion, carrot, and minced garlic with 0.5 teaspoons (2.5 milliliters) of kosher salt in a large skillet over medium-low heat.
- Gently melt butter and stir vegetables for 1-2 minutes until they become tender and translucent. Remove from heat and allow to cool completely.
- Preheat the oven to 425 degrees Fahrenheit (218 degrees Celsius).
- Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and position an oven-safe wire rack on top. Lightly coat the rack with cooking oil to prevent sticking.
- Carefully separate chicken leg skin from the meat using a sharp paring knife, keeping the skin intact.
- Expose the chicken leg bone by making precise longitudinal cuts along both sides using the knife tip.
- Gradually separate the meat from the bone, ensuring complete removal without tearing the skin.
- Chop the deboned chicken leg meat into 4-6 substantial pieces.
- Combine chicken thigh meat, sautéed vegetables, remaining 0.5 teaspoons (2.5 milliliters) kosher salt, and ground black pepper in a food processor.
- Pulse the mixture until finely ground but not pureed, ensuring even distribution of ingredients.
- Lay chicken skins flat on a cutting board with the inner side facing upward.
- Divide the meat mixture into four equal portions, placing one portion centrally on each skin.
- Carefully fold the skin edges over the meat, completely encasing the filling.
- Position the wrapped portions on the prepared rack with the sealed edges facing downward.
- Sprinkle additional salt and pepper over the skin surface.
- Roast in the preheated oven for 25-30 minutes until the skin turns golden brown and crispy, and the internal temperature reaches 165 degrees Fahrenheit (74 degrees Celsius) when checked with a quick-read thermometer.
Notes
- Slow, gentle sautéing releases deep vegetable flavors without burning delicate ingredients.
- Cooling the butter and vegetable mixture helps blend subtle taste profiles and prevents ingredient separation.
- Precise oven temperature guarantees consistent golden-brown exterior and perfectly cooked interior.
- Parchment paper creates a non-stick surface and simplifies post-cooking cleanup with minimal effort.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 30 minutes
- Category: Dinner
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: British
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 4
- Calories: 370 kcal
- Sugar: 1 g
- Sodium: 300 mg
- Fat: 25 g
- Saturated Fat: 10 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 15 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 5 g
- Fiber: 1 g
- Protein: 30 g
- Cholesterol: 120 mg