It is super easy to make but has intensive chicken flavour, Simple Salt chicken Rolls are great as a main dish, an addition to the antipasto platter, a sandwich filling, etc. It keeps well in the fridge as well as frozen.
Prep Time includes the time to leave the chicken after seasoning. I allowed 10 hours for Marinate Time but you can marinate up to 24 hours.
Don't forget to see the section 'MEAL IDEAS' below the recipe card! It gives you a list of dishes that I have already posted and this recipe so you can make up a complete meal. I hope it is of help to you.
- 2 large fillet of chicken leg (maryland) skin on (note 1)
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 tsp sugar
- 1 tbsp cooking sake
- Blanched broccolini
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Butterfly the chicken fillets (note 4) where the meat is very thick so that the thickness of the fillet becomes even. Using a fork or the tip of a knife, poke the skin in several places.
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Sprinkle salt, sugar and sake over the fillets and massage ensuring that seasonings are rubbed into the flesh. Then, leave the chicken for 10 minutes.
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Place the fillet horizontally, skin side down on a work bench. Starting from the end closest to you, roll the fillet away from you. User strings to tie several places to secure the roll (note 5).
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Roll another fillet in the same way.
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Put the Flavoured Stock ingredients except konbu in a microwave-proof container (note 6) and mix well. Add konbu, then place the chicken rolls in the container. If the container comes with a lid, place the lid on loosely, otherwise, cover the container with cling wrap (note 6).
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Cook for 5 minutes in the microwave on high. Turn the rolls over and cook further 4 minutes with the lid on.
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Remove the konbu. Let it cool naturally, then transfer the chicken to a zip lock bag.
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Put the stock through a sieve to eliminate chicken bits (optional) and transfer to the bag.
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Remove the air from the bag as much as possible (note 7), then seal the bag. Marinate in the fridge overnight (10-24 hours).
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Take the chicken out of the bag, removing gelatinous stock off the chicken. Cut the strings off and discard them.
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Slice each chicken roll thinly to 5mm / 3⁄16" thick (note 8). Place the slices, overlapping each other on a serving plate.
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Place the broccolini on the side and put some gelatinous flavoured stock on the chicken slices.
1. My chicken leg fillet was 270g. Anywhere between 250-300g / 0.6-0.7lb is OK. If much larger volume, you need to adjust the quantity of other ingredients.
If you cannot find chicken leg fillet, use 2-3 thigh fillets to make up for the total weight. You could use a breast fillet but you will find that the cooked chicken is on the dry side.
2. If you have konbu dashi at hand, use it in place of water and a piece of konbu.
3. Instead of broccolini, you can of course use other vegetables. I think that blanched vegetables would suit best.
4. See my post Chicken Cutlet that explains how to butterfly chicken fillet.
5. I tied 4-5 places but if you are using smaller pieces, you probably need 3 ties to secure the roll.
Instead of using strings, you can secure the rolls with toothpicks. Put through the toothpicks near the end of the roll. You will need several toothpicks.
6. You need a container with enough depth as the liquid will bubble while cooking. It is also good to have a deep container if you are using cling wrap to cover so that the cling wrap does not touch the chicken while cooking. When the food touches the cling wrap while cooking in the microwave, it could melt the cling wrap.
7. Please see the section, HOW TO MAKE SALT CHICKEN ROLLS, which explains how I do it.
8. To serve as a main dish or nibbles, I think that 5mm / 3⁄16" is the appropriate thickness but it’s up to you. If thicker, the dish looks more dynamic and less elegant. But if too thin, it will not be practical to pick up the slice, particularly serving as nibbles.
For better presentation, you may want trim the both ends of the chicken roll. Don’t discard them, just pop them into your mouth - chef's privilege!
9. Salt Chicken Rolls keep in the fridge for 5 days and few weeks in the freezer.
10: Nutrition per serving. It is assumed that 50% of salt and sugar, 80% of water are left in the stock.
serving: 152g calories: 305kcal fat: 21g (32%) saturated fat: 6g (30%) trans fat: 0.0g polyunsaturated fat: 4.5g monounsaturated fat: 8.6g cholesterol: 116mg (39%) sodium: 681mg (28%) potassium: 268mg (8%) carbohydrates: 2.8g (1%) dietary fibre: 0g (0%) sugar: 2.2g protein: 23g vitamin a: 23% vitamin c: 5.5% calcium: 1.4% iron: 11%