This pinwheel chicken looks lovely on the plate – and it’s a lot easier to make than it appears. The secret is to make a ‘sandwich out of a butterflied chicken breast, by adding a layer of sage leaves on the inside and Parma ham slices on the outside, then wrapping it up tightly.
I cooked this in a Sous Vide water bath for 2 hours, but if you don’t have one, simply wrap the chicken parcel in a couple of layers of Clingfilm and gently simmer in a pan of water for 45 mins, then finish off in the frying pan. This was lovely with some lemony creamy spaghetti, but you could also serve it with some diced stove-top potatoes and vibrant green veg.
Serves 2
2 chicken breasts
6-8 sage leaves
4 thin Parma ham slices
Freshly ground black pepper
To serve
A handful of spaghetti, fresh or dried, boiled in salted water (if fresh, 3-4 mins;; if dried, 8-9 mins)
300ml double cream
50g Parmesan, grated
Zest and juice of 1 lemon
Freshly ground black pepper
1. Put two sheets of Clingfilm (if using) on a chopping board. Lay the Parma ham slices on the Clingfilm. Butterfly the chicken breasts by slicing across and through the middle and opening them up, like butterfly wings. Lay the chicken on top of the ham, then lay the sage leaves on top of the chicken.
2. Tightly wrap the chicken into cylindrical parcels. Seal in a Sous Vide vacuum machine, or tightly wrap and tie up the Clingfilm. Cook in a Sous Vide water bath, set to 67.5C for two hours, or in a pan of simmering water for 45 mins.
3. Once the time is up, snip open the Sous Vide vac-pack or Clingfilm. Add a splash of olive oil to a frying pan and brown the cooked parcels all over for approx. 2-3 mins.
4. Meanwhile, cook the spaghetti in a large pan of boiling, salted water.
5. In a small saucepan, add the double cream, Parmesan, lemon and pepper. Gently heat through until all the cheese has melted and the sauce is silky. Drain the pasta and pour the sauce over and use tongs to mix together.
6. Slice the chicken into 2.5cm thick pinwheels. Serve on top of the creamy spaghetti.
