Rolled Chicken Breasts with Chorizo Stuffing and Green Beans

Ingredients

• 50 g dry chorizo (Finely diced; if using fresh sausage, use almost twice as much.)
• 1 shallot (Very finely diced; another type of onion may be substituted.)
• 2 chicken breasts (One breast per person; use large breasts and butterfly them.)
• breadcrumbs (Use a roughly equal quantity by volume to the chorizo and shallot mixture; panko, regular breadcrumbs, or cornbread crumbs may be used.)
• white wine (Enough to deglaze the stuffing pan and later the green beans; water with a splash of vinegar may be substituted.)
• lemon zest (A little, added to the stuffing.)
• fresh dill (A bunch; fresh thyme or parsley may be substituted.)
• salt (To taste; the chorizo is already heavily seasoned.)
• butcher's twine (About five strands per chicken breast, each long enough to wrap around and tie.)
• olive oil (For coating the pan.)
• 170 g green beans (About a 6-ounce bag.)
• water (As needed while steaming the green beans; may replace the wine with a splash of vinegar.)
• black pepper (To taste, added to the green beans.)
• fresh thyme (A little, added to the green beans.)
• butter (Optional, stirred into the green beans at the end to thicken the pan sauce.)
• lemon (Cut into wedges and served with the chicken; considered essential by the author.)

Steps

1. 1

   Finely dice the dry chorizo. For the best texture, cut it into thin strips, then matchsticks, then a very fine dice; a back-and-forth sawing motion is easier than chopping. Finely dice the shallot.

2. 2

   Put the diced chorizo and shallot into a cold skillet. Set the skillet over medium heat and cook, stirring occasionally, until the sausage fat has rendered and the shallot is well cooked. If using fresh sausage instead, cook it until dry and crumbly.

3. 3

   While the stuffing cooks, butterfly each chicken breast. Cut carefully into the thickest part horizontally, stopping before cutting all the way through, then open the breast like a book.

4. 4

   If necessary, make shallow slits across especially thick sections. Cover the chicken with plastic wrap to prevent splattering, then pound the thick areas until the breasts are as flat and even as possible without tearing them. The thin portions need little pounding.

5. 5

   Add a roughly equal quantity by volume of breadcrumbs to the cooked chorizo and shallot. Toast the crumbs briefly in the rendered fat for flavor.

6. 6

   Deglaze the stuffing pan with white wine, scraping the browned bits from the bottom. Add just enough liquid to make the breadcrumbs barely moldable, not wet or gummy.

7. 7

   Remove the pan from the heat. Stir in a little lemon zest and a generous amount of chopped fresh dill. Taste the stuffing and add only a little salt if needed, since the chorizo is already strongly seasoned. Keep the mixture crumbly.

8. 8

   Cut about five lengths of butcher's twine for each chicken breast. Make each piece long enough to wrap around the roll and tie securely.

9. 9

   Place the stuffing on the cut side of each butterflied breast, adding a little more to the larger piece. Keep the original skillet for cooking the chicken and beans.

10. 10

    Roll each breast tightly. Place the more ragged cut surface inside the roll and leave a narrow strip of chicken uncovered at the far edge to help form a seal. Roll from whichever end produces a compact roll of similar thickness; the smaller breast may need to be rolled from the tail end.

11. 11

    Slide the first strand of twine underneath each roll. Tie it with a surgeon's knot by crossing the ends, passing one end underneath twice, pulling taut, and locking it with a normal overhand knot. Repeat with the remaining strands, then snip away the excess twine.

12. 12

    Season the outside of the chicken rolls all over with salt. The rolls may be refrigerated overnight at this point if desired; otherwise continue immediately.

13. 13

    Return the skillet to medium or medium-low heat and coat it with olive oil. Let the oil heat, then place the chicken rolls in the pan.

14. 14

    Gently sear and turn the rolls until all sides are lightly colored. In a stainless-steel pan, let each surface sear firmly before nudging it loose so the chicken does not shred. A nonstick pan is easier for this stage.

15. 15

    Cover the skillet with its lid or foil and cook the chicken rolls gently, turning them around regularly so they steam and cook evenly. Continue until the thickest part reaches approximately 155–160°F (68–71°C); the chicken will rise further from carry-over heat as it rests. The transcript indicates this took about 15 minutes after the rolls went into the pan.

16. 16

    Transfer the chicken rolls to a resting plate. Remove any burned stuffing pieces from the skillet and discard burned butter or fat, while keeping the golden fond in the bottom of the pan.

17. 17

    Return the skillet to the heat and add the green beans. Let them fry briefly in the dry heat and pan fond so they take on color and flavor.

18. 18

    Deglaze the skillet with the remaining white wine, scraping the pan clean so the beans are coated with the flavorful liquid. Water may be used instead, with a splash of vinegar added to taste later.

19. 19

    Cover the skillet, increase the heat to high, and steam the green beans for about 5 minutes. Check frequently and add small amounts of water whenever the liquid is evaporating too quickly, since the pan can burn rapidly once dry.

20. 20

    Taste a bean to check doneness and seasoning. Add black pepper, salt, and a little fresh thyme. If desired, stir in a little fresh butter off the heat to make a thicker sauce from the pan juices.

21. 21

    Using clean scissors, snip through the twine on the rested chicken rolls and peel it away completely.

22. 22

    Slice the chicken rolls with a freshly sharpened knife so the meat fibers do not shred. Press the slices back together if needed, transfer them to plates, and fan the slices slightly to display the pinwheel pattern.

23. 23

    Plate the green beans alongside the chicken and serve with lemon wedges. Squeeze the lemon over the chicken as its sauce.

Notes

The transcript does not give an exact breadcrumb, wine, oil, butter, herb, or seasoning quantity. It also does not specify an exact chicken breast weight. The author recommends cooking the vegetable in the chicken pan while the meat rests, and says the tied chicken rolls can be prepared the night before and refrigerated. Do not leave the green beans unattended while steaming, because the liquid can evaporate and the fond can burn quickly.

Nutrition per serving

• main
• European-inspired
• stuffed chicken
• one-pan
• skillet
• steamed
• high-protein
• poultry