Recipe of the Week: Ballotine of Chicken with Cranberry and Sage

While for many, Thanksgiving means gathering with a large group of loved ones, not everyone is so lucky. Many people would consider themselves fortunate just to share that meal with one other person. This recipe is great for a small Thanksgiving date night, or you can double it if you have a couple of extra guests.

Ballotine of Chicken with Cranberry and Sage

Serves: 2-4

Ingredients

250 ml                  cranberry juice (sweetened), divided
1 tbsp                   salt
8                            sage leaves, divided
2                            chicken legs, boneless with skin left intact (ask your butcher for this)
3 tbsp                   dried cranberries
1 tbsp                   butter, unsalted
½                           onion, minced
1                            garlic clove, minced
10                          bacon slices, divided
½ cup                   breadcrumbs
1 tbsp                   grated parmigiano
to taste                salt and pepper
1 tbsp                   olive oil

Method

1. Mix 200 ml of the cranberry juice with the tbsp of salt and two whole leaves of sage. Stir until the salt semi-dissolves. Add the chicken legs to this brine, cover, and set aside in the fridge for one hour.

2. Add the dried cranberries to the remaining cranberry juice and place them in a small pot over a low heat. Bring to a simmer then turn off the heat to rehydrate the cranberries.

3. Dice two rashers of bacon.  Melt the butter in a medium sauté pan over a medium heat, then add the diced bacon, onion, and garlic. Sweat until just translucent. Mince the remaining sage leaves and add to the pan with the rehydrated cranberries. Stir well and cook for another 3 minutes. Turn the heat off and add the breadcrumbs and cheese and stir well to incorporate. Season with salt and pepper and set aside to cool.

4. Preheat the oven to 400°F.

5. Remove the chicken leg from the brine and pat it dry with paper towel. Lay the chicken on a cutting board with the skin side down. It should resemble a rectangle, with the long side on the top and bottom in front of you. Take half of the stuffing mixture and lay it in a cylindrical shape on the chicken leg meat. Roll the chicken leg up tightly and set aside. Repeat with the second chicken leg.

6. Lay out 4 slices of bacon, slightly overlapped, on your work surface. Place the chicken leg in the center, then roll the bacon around the chicken, like a cigar. Use kitchen twine to tie the ballotine in place, set aside, and repeat with the second leg.

7. Place the ballotines in a roasting tray or pan lined with parchment paper. Rub oil all over the ballotines and place in the oven for approximately 35 to 40 minutes, or until an internal thermometer reads 165°F. Remove and rest for ten minutes before slicing and serving.