Chicken Roulade with Lemon Beurre Blanc

Chicken Roulade with Lemon Beurre Blanc Dish Guide

2 large or 4 small Boneless Skinless Chicken Breasts

~20 Basil leaves or 2T when chopped

4 oz goat cheese

Zest and Juice of half a lemon

2 T sundried tomatoes, minced

4 T unsalted butter, cold or partially frozen

1/3 cup white wine

1/3 cup heavy cream

1 T olive oil

1 shallot, minced

Salt and Pepper to taste

Chiffonade the basil by stacking about 10 leaves together, rolling them up tightly and then cutting across the roll to make thin ribbons. Mix the goat cheese, lemon zest, 1 T basil and sun-dried tomatoes together and season with salt and pepper. Using plastic wrap, parchment paper or a plastic zipper bag, pound the chicken breasts until they are even and between 14/ and 1/8 of an inch thick. If you are using small breasts you can leave them whole. If you are using larger breasts you may need to cut them in half by pressing them flat and running your knife parallel to the board, cutting the breast through the middle from the thicker end to the thin end.

Season the chicken breast with salt and pepper. Place a heaping spoonful of the goat cheese mixture into the middle of the flattened breast and spread it out over the breast leaving at least a half inch of space around the edge so the stuffing doesn’t all fall out when you roll it. Roll the breast up tightly and try to tuck the edges in and place it seam side down on the plastic wrap. Use the plastic wrap to roll the chicken up even more securely and then spin or twist the edges to set the shape. The video is much more useful than written description here. Place the roulade in the freezer for 30-60 minutes the help firm up the shape.

To cook, heat a stainless steel or cast iron skillet over medium high heat and add a T of olive oil. Take the roulade out of the plastic and pat it dry if there is any moisture on the surface. Place the roulade seam-side down in the pan and sear for 5-6 minutes until the seam is sealed and beautifully golden brown. Place the pan directly into a preheated 400 degree oven for 15 minutes or until the chicken is cooked through to 165 (use a thermometer). Don’t turn the chicken! Yes it will look pallid on top but we already have our presentation side ready.

When cooked, remove from the pan and return the pan to medium high heat. Remove any excess fat in the pan if there is any and then add the shallot and sauté for 5-6 minutes until it begins to caramelize. Deglaze the pan with the wine and lemon juice and whisk or scrape the bottom to release the fond. Add the cream and continue to stir and reduce the liquid by about half. Turn off the heat and whisk in 1 T of the butter at a time, allowing each T to fully melt and incorporate into the sauce. Once all the butter is in, sprinkle in the remaining T of basil, season with salt and pepper and you are ready to serve.

Dish Notes

This is a very flexible technique. You can stuff the chicken and flavor the sauce with any ingredient and flavor profiles you enjoy. Also, the technique of rolling the chicken in the plastic and freezing it and cooking it on one side is just one technique for preparing chicken roulade. It will yield the most aesthetically pleasing final product but you could just use toothpicks to hold the chicken together or use butchers’ twine. If you do not have oven-safe pans, cook the chicken until browned as directed and then place on baking sheet to finish cooking. You can even cook them sous-vide and brown the chicken at the end for presentation and flavor.