Chicken Roulade With Apricots (Lithuanian Easter Recipe)
Looking for a show-stopping dish for your Easter celebrations? This Chicken Roulade recipe (yes, roulade is a French word, but trust me, this dish is all Lithuanian - it's known as vištienos vyniotinis in Lithuanian) is a must-try. Stuffed with creamy cheese and sweet apricots, then roasted until juicy, it’s the kind of dish that disappears fast—so slice up extra!
Equipment
- Aluminum Foil
- Sharp Knife
Ingredients
- 3 small chicken breasts or 2 large (600g (1lb) total) skinless, boneless
- 120 g dried apricots (approx 20 apricots)
- 60 g (3 tbsp) cheese spread
- ¼ teaspoon garlic powder
- 2 teaspoon dried mixed herbs
- salt and black pepper
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 200° C (390℉)
- Butterfly the chicken breasts by cutting them in half crossways, leaving one side intact.
- Lay out a large piece of oil on a work surface and brush it with a little oil. Sprinkle half of the dried herbs, garlic, salt and black pepper over.
- Arrange them on a large piece of foil in a single layer, overlapping them so that there are no gaps. You may flatten it further with the meat tendarizer.
- Spread the spreadable cheese across the surface, scatter the rest of the dried herbs, garlic powder, salt and pepper over the surface.
- Arrange two lines of dried apricots, overlapping them slightly in the centre of the chicken sheet.
- Roll the meat thightly into a roulade and then wrap it tightly in the foil, sealing it in completely.
- Place the chicken roulade on a baking tray, and roast for 40 minutes.
- Once cooked, leave it in the foil to cool down. In Lithuanian, it is typically left to cool to room tempreature or even chilled overnight before slicing, but you can enjoy it warm (just make sure to leave it in foil to firm up for 25-20 minutes first).
- Slice it and serve as a cold appetizer or with your favorite side dishes.