Chicken Ballotine

Jan 18 2013

I was inspired to make this chicken ballotine from a wonderful cookbook my wife’s cousin had given me, Master Chef South Africa. She lives and works in Pretoria, South Africa.

I had made one of these before but just called it a boned, stuffed, and tied chicken. I didn’t know I had made a ballotine! I had to compromise on the stuffing; I couldn’t find any prosciutto or the correct red peppers. Instead of prosciutto I used some thin sliced Spanish chorizo. I found some whole roasted red peppers and stuffed them with 4 oz. cream cheese mixed with some parmesan and chives. I had enough cheese mix to stuff some in the legs too.

I watched a video by Jacques Pepin on boning the chicken. He makes it look a lot easier than it was for me. He said you should be able to do it in a minute. It took me about 45 minutes to bone it, stuff and tie! I did it up after lunch and in the fridge until cook time.

I would serve it on a mash of potatoes and carrots and a side of sautéed fennel and onions. I had a small take home and bake baguette to have bread and butter.

I did up the potatoes and carrots early too so I just had to heat up to serve. I boiled about 5 medium russet potatoes and a couple handfuls of baby carrots until soft. I coarsely mashed them with a half stick of butter and two tablespoons of sour cream; salt and pepper.

I used my prior cook as a guide to do this one. I did it in my Traeger 07E using a mix of hardwood pellets.
I did it on smoke mode 175 deg. seam side up; for a half hour then eased it up every 10 minutes or so until I was at 300 deg. I was looking for 160 deg. IT. I used my Maverick ET-732 to monitor meat and grill level temp. Grill level temp on my Traeger runs about 30 deg. hotter than my RTD readout.

An hour and a half from start I turned the chicken and went to 350 deg. to finish up. I got my fennel and onion sautéing. In about twenty minutes the chicken was done so tented it with foil while I heated up the potato and carrot mash. I finished the fennel and onions with salt and pepper and a few splashes of white balsamic vinegar. I plated a dish for my wife and me.

We both loved it, chicken was moist and tender. The chorizo gave it some seasoning and the red pepper and cheese mix complimented.

Link to video of Pepin boning a chicken

Ingredients

Boned Chicken

Chorizo added

Peppers and cheese mix added

Folded and ready to tie

All tied

Potato and carrot mash

Fennel and onions sauteing

Chicken is done

My Plate