METHOD
Prepare the chicken
Place each butterflied chicken breast, one at a time in a large ziploc freezer bag or between 2 sheets of plastic wrap.
Using a rolling pin or a heavy pan, pound the chicken until flat (about 7mm thin, the thinner, the easier it is to roll and to remain intact once cooked). Flip over to the other side and continue to flatten. Neatly trim any unwanted bits of the chicken.
Place the chicken in the sauce bowl, ensure covered in sauce and set aside to marinade for at least 15 min.
Whilst marinating, prepare the filling
Prepare the filling:
Heat oil in a pan over medium to high heat. Sauté onions and pepper until fragrant i.e. about 2-3 minutes. Stir in garlic, salt and pepper and immediately set aside.
Stuff chicken:
On a large chopping board, place a large piece of plastic wrap in a rectangular position.
Layer the bacon vertically, slightly overlapping each other side by side to form a rectangle of approximately 25-
30cm in length.
Using a slotted spoon, remove the chicken from the sauce, use your hands to squeeze out any excess sauce or let drip from a sieve.
Top the bacon with the chicken breast, in a single layer, slightly overlapping each other. Pound the chicken lightly to help join the overlapping pieces.
Slightly season with salt & pepper and start filling from the long side of the chicken.
Place baby spinach on the entire base of the chicken, then at the bottom, in a single line top with goats’ cheese slices then top with the onion and pepper mix.
Roll the chicken and bake
Using the plastic wrap as a guide, tightly roll up roulade from the long side to enclose filling. As you are rolling, release the plastic wrap and make sure you tuck the stuffing in. Twist the ends like a candy wrapper to form a tight cylinder.
Place in freezer for 45-1hr (helps the chicken roll stay intact or if perfectly rolled, tie with kitchen twine and bake immediately). While chicken is in freezer, prepare the butternut.
Preheat oven at 180 C
After 45min -1hr, take out chicken from freezer and remove plastic wrap. If chicken is not not perfectly rolled up, tie with kitchen twine to secure.
Spray baking tray, place roulade seam-side down, onto the prepared tray. Use egg lifter and hands to support the transfer. Surround the chicken with butternut (see below preparation). Bake in the oven uncovered at 180 C for 35-
38minutes (last 3-5 min set to grill).
If chicken roulade is not perfectly rolled, bake seam-side up for first half of baking time then turn over.
Once cooked, spoon the sauce from the baking tray over the chicken and butternut, remove the chicken and butternut from the sauce and set aside. Reserve remaining sauce for the glaze.
Butternut salad preparation
In a small bowl, mix cinnamon, syrup, olive oil, apple spicy chutney and thoroughly coat butternut. Bake with the chicken roulade.
Once butternut is cooked, in a separate serving platter or large coup bowl, scatter some spinach leaves, top with
butternut, crumbled chunky cranberry cheese and a sprinkle of toasted cinnamon coconut flakes. Lightly toss, refrigerate until needed and serve chilled.
Optional dressing – lightly drizzle with olive oil , balsamic glaze or preferred dressing.
Soy sauce and spicy apple chutney glaze
In saucepan over high heat, mix in all the sauce ingredients except for the lime zest. Boil sauce uncovered for 5-
7min or until it’s reduced and thickened to your liking. Turn off stove and set aside.
Add the remaining chicken roulade sauce to the glaze and heat up for a further 1 min before adding lime zest. Strain the sauce after 3-5min, brush the chicken roulade with the glaze and transfer remainder to a gravy boat for serving.
Serving
Serve the chicken roulade on a large oval plate or serving platter, slice or leave whole. Garnish with micro herbs and serve with lime wedges and glaze. Best enjoyed with the roasted butternut salad or side of choice and a chilled bottled of Charles Back Brut bubbly.
INGREDIENTS
450-500g 4 Elgin free range chicken breast fillets
butterflied
400 – 500 g streaky bacon or macon
1 tbsp Willow Creek virgin olive oil
Salt & pepper to taste
Micro pea shoots or micro herbs (for garnish)
Lime wedges for serving (optional)
Chicken roulade filling
½ medium sized onion, finely diced
½ red pepper, finely diced
1 tsp garlic paste
1 tsp blended black pepper
⅛ salt, plus extra
¾ cup baby spinach washed
100g Fairview chevin goats cheese log, equally sliced
into 8 (or cream cheese)
Soy and spic y chutney glaze
⅓ cup soya sauce
⅓ cup Fairview apple spicy chutney (available from
Fairview Deli)
⅓ cup sprite or sparkling lemonade
1 tsp smoked Spanish paprika
1 tsp chili flakes
1 star anise
2 tbsp traditional syrup
1 tsp of freshly squeezed lime juice (1 wedge), plus zest
Roasted butternut, baby spinach and cranberry cheese salad
500 g butternut cut in chunky cubes, precooked in
microwave for 2 min
¾ cup baby spinach washed, roughly chop if leaves are large
100 g Fairview white rock dried cranberries semi-soft medium fat cheese
2 tsp ground cinnamon, plus extra
2 tbsp syrup
½ tsp olive oil
1 tbsp Fairview apple spicy chutney
1 tbsp coconut flakes, toasted with ⅛ tsp ground
cinnamon
Extra virgin olive oil, or Willow creek fig and vanilla
balsamic glaze to use as dressing (optional)
HOW TO BUTTERFLY CHICKEN
Slice chicken breasts horizontally through the middle using a sharp knife, beginning at the thickest part, cut to the middle and not to all the way through to the other side. Open the two sides and spread them out like an open book.
TOP TIPS
1. This chicken is perfect for Christmas and can be prepared days in advance and kept in the freezer.
2. Individual bacon wrapped chicken roulade can be made using one chicken breast per serving.
3. An alternative to slicing the goat’s cheese , combine the cheese with onion and red pepper mix.
