Garlic risotto-stuffed chicken with adobo glaze
Inspired by the Filipino national dish, adobo, a stew fragrant with vinegar, garlic and soy sauce, the chicken breasts are stuffed with garlic risotto and served with adobo glaze, pickled cucumber, charred spring onions and crispy chicken skin.
Ingredients
- 4 tbsp salted butter
- 1 small onion, finely diced
- 5 garlic cloves, crushed
- 1 thumb-sized piece fresh root ginger, peeled and grated
- 100²µ/3½´Ç³ú risotto rice
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- 375ml/13fl oz chicken stock
- 2 spring onions, very finely chopped
- 4 chicken breasts, boneless, skin removed and reserved
- salt and freshly ground black pepper
For the adobo glaze
- 1 tbsp vegetable oil
- 3 banana shallots, finely chopped
- 5 garlic cloves, crushed
- 100ml/3½fl oz toyomansi
- 100ml/3½fl oz cane vinegar
- 50ml/2fl oz Filipino soy sauce, such as Datu Puti (alternatively, use dark soy sauce)
- 4 tbsp soft brown sugar
- 3 bay leaves
- 1 tbsp ground black pepper
For the pickled cucumber
- 75ml/2½fl oz coconut vinegar
- 75²µ/2â…”o³ú caster sugar
- ½ cucumber, peeled into ribbons
For the crispy chicken skin
- 4 pieces chicken skin
- sea salt
For the charred spring onions
- 8 spring onions, trimmed
- olive oil
- smoked salt
Method
Melt 2 tablespoons of the butter in a saucepan over a medium–high heat, add the onion and cook for 5 minutes, until softened. Add the garlic and ginger and cook for a further minute, until the ginger becomes jammy.
Add the rice to the onion mixture and stir to toast for 1 minute. Add the garlic powder and begin to add the stock, a ladle at a time, stirring constantly between each addition. Continue until all the stock has been absorbed and the rice is soft but still retains a slight bite: this will take about 25 minutes. Stir through the remaining butter and the spring onions, season to taste and cool completely.
Meanwhile, make the adobo glaze: heat the oil in a saucepan over a medium–high heat and add the shallots. Cook for 5 minutes, until softened, then add the garlic and cook for another minute. Pour in the toyomansi, cane vinegar, soy sauce, sugar, 150ml/5fl oz water, bay leaves and pepper and simmer for about 15 minutes, until reduced and thickened. Pick out the bay leaves and blend the mixture until smooth, then pour back into a small saucepan to keep warm.
To make the pickled cucumber, stir the vinegar and sugar together until the sugar has dissolved. Add the cucumber ribbons and set aside to lightly pickle.
To make the crispy chicken skin, preheat the oven to 200C/180C Fan/Gas 6 and line a baking tray with baking paper. Lay the chicken skin on the baking tray and sprinkle with a little sea salt. Bake for 10–12 minutes until browned and crisped. Leave to cool, then break into shards approximately 5cm/2in in size.
Butterfly the chicken breasts by running a sharp knife down the long side and cutting through to open out like a book. Lay each breast between two pieces of greaseproof paper and flatten by beating firmly with a rolling pin.
Place a few tablespoons of the risotto across the centre of each chicken breast and roll up tightly. Place each rolled chicken breast on a generous sheet of cling film and tightly roll up into a log, tying the ends securely.
Bring a large saucepan of water to just under a simmer. Lower the chicken roulades into the water and gently poach for 15 minutes, until firm to the touch. Remove from the water and leave to rest for 10 minutes.
To make the charred spring onions, preheat a griddle pan over a high heat. Coat the spring onions with a little olive oil, place on the hot pan and cook until charred and softened. Season with smoked salt.
Unwrap the roulades, discarding the cling film, and place in a large frying pan over a medium–high heat, adding about 4 tablespoons of the glaze and basting until sticky and coloured. Remove to a carving board.
Slice the chicken roulades into rounds. Smear about 1 tablespoon of glaze on the bottom of each plate and add the chicken. Garnish with rolled-up pickled cucumber ribbons, shards of chicken skin and the charred spring onions.
Recipe Tips
Any unused glaze can be stored in a bottle in the fridge for 2 weeks.