Chicken Thigh Galantine en Croute with Mushroom Duxelles and Rosemary-Cream Sauce

Step by step

Method

1. 01

   Prepare the Mushroom Duxelles: Melt 40g butter and 30g olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add 150g finely chopped onion and 10g minced garlic, sauté until softened, about 5 minutes. Add 300g finely chopped mushrooms and cook until all moisture has evaporated and mushrooms are deeply browned, about 15-20 minutes. Stir in 100g fresh spinach and 3g chopped thyme; cook until wilted. Season with 5g salt and 2g black pepper. Remove from heat and let cool completely.

2. 02

   Prepare the Chicken: Carefully butterfly each of the 800g boneless, skinless chicken thighs to create a uniform thickness. Season both sides with 5g salt and 1g black pepper.

3. 03

   Make the Flaky Pastry Dough: In a large bowl, combine 300g all-purpose flour and 5g salt. Cut 180g cold butter into small cubes and add to the flour mixture. Using your fingertips, quickly rub the butter into the flour until it resembles coarse crumbs with some larger pieces of butter remaining. Add 50g egg and mix until a shaggy dough forms. Knead briefly until it comes together. Flatten into a rectangle, wrap tightly, and chill for at least 30 minutes.

4. 04

   Perform Folds for Pastry: On a lightly floured surface, roll out the chilled dough into a rectangle about 3 times as long as it is wide. Fold one-third of the dough over the middle, then fold the other third over to create a three-layer 'letter fold'. Wrap and chill for 20 minutes. Repeat this rolling and folding process one more time. Chill for at least 30 minutes after the second fold.

5. 05

   Assemble the Galantines en Croute: Roll out the chilled pastry dough to a thickness of about 3-4mm. Lay out the butterflied chicken thighs and spread an even layer of the cooled mushroom duxelles over each. Tightly roll each stuffed chicken thigh into a cylindrical shape.

6. 06

   Encase in Pastry: Place a rolled chicken galantine on the pastry. Cut the pastry to fit around the galantine, leaving enough overlap to seal the edges. Brush the edges with 50g egg wash. Carefully wrap the pastry around the chicken, pressing firmly to seal all seams. Repeat for all four galantines. Place the assembled galantines seamside down on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Brush generously with the remaining egg wash and score the pastry decoratively.

7. 07

   Bake the Galantines: Preheat your oven to 200°C (390°F). Bake for 35-45 minutes, or until the pastry is golden brown and the internal temperature of the chicken reaches 74°C (165°F). If the pastry browns too quickly, you can loosely tent it with foil. Let the galantines rest for 10 minutes before slicing.

8. 08

   Prepare the Rosemary-Cream Sauce: While the galantines are baking or resting, melt 30g butter in a small saucepan over medium heat. Add 20g minced garlic and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute. Pour in 300g chicken broth, 5g chopped rosemary, and 2g chopped thyme. Bring to a simmer and reduce the liquid by half, about 8-10 minutes.

9. 09

   Thicken the Sauce: In a small bowl, whisk 10g cornstarch with a splash of 200g heavy cream until smooth. Gradually whisk the cornstarch slurry into the simmering broth. Add the remaining heavy cream and simmer gently, stirring constantly, until the sauce thickens to your desired consistency. Season with 5g salt and 2g black pepper. Strain the sauce through a fine-mesh sieve for a silky smooth finish, if desired.

10. 10

    Serve: Slice the rested chicken galantine en croute into thick rounds. Ladle the warm rosemary-cream sauce onto individual plates and arrange the sliced galantine on top. Serve immediately.