As some of you may remember, midway through Season 8 of MasterChef, the season I was featured in, we had a team challenge that involved creating a chicken and potatoes dish. This challenge didn’t go in my favor or my teammate Yachecia. We ended up with a plate of poorly executed chicken thigh roulade, a broken sauce and a small stack of potato gratin, which happened to be our saving grace. Apart from our plate being called CSI: MasterChef from the smudges and fingerprints, Chef Ramsay remarked that “..a chicken roulade its not, lets get that right.” Those words have echoed in my ear since. I felt that I could execute this dish of stuffed and rolled meat. During one of my recent cooking spells, I decided that this was as good a time as any and tried my hand at the elusive dish. It yielded amazing results, plating was and is experimental but the flavors were amazing. I am going to walk you through the process that I previously didn’t understand but now can’t stop thinking about. This is how you create an amazing Chicken Roulade!
Recipe:
- 1 Boneless, skinless Chicken breast
- 4 Basil leaves, thinly cut
- 1 tbsp mozzarella cheese
- 1 lemon, zested
- Kosher salt- to taste
- Cracked Black Pepper- to taste
- 1 Red Bell Pepper-diced (optional)
- 3-4 strips prosciutto
- 1 tbsp smoked paprika
- 1 tbsp chicken base
- using clear wrap, tear two long pieces from the roll and place the chicken breast in between them.
- with a meat tenderizer or small pan, begin hitting the chicken breast, pulling back with every swing to begin spreading out the chicken
- Pound out to about 1/4-1/2 inch thick, remove from clear wrap and place down the prosciutto, slightly overlapping to make a sheet of prosciutto. place chicken back on prosciutto.
- Using the chicken base, spread evenly on the backside of the chicken breast.
- Season inside with salt and pepper, paprika and lemon zest.
- Place mozzarella, basil and peppers in the middle of the chicken breast and using the bottom piece of wrap, begin to roll the chicken, pulling back while you roll, this keeps the filling tight.
- Once rolled, keep clear wrap tight and re-wrap with second piece of clear wrap, making sure its air tight
- Place in ziplock, release all the air and place in the fridge
- bring a pot of water to the boil and place the bag inside, let cook for 10 to 12 minutes
- once chicken feels firm, remove from bag and wrap and set aside
- Heat skillet over medium-high heat, add oil and get close to smoking.
- Sear the roulade until the prosciutto is crisp and set aside to rest for 2-5 minutes
- Slice and enjoy!
