Chicken Ballotine with Spinach, Feta and Crispy Bacon

Instructions

1. 1. Prepare the filling: Begin by finely mincing the garlic cloves to ensure they distribute evenly in the filling. In a large skillet, heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil over medium heat. Once the oil is shimmering, add the minced garlic and cook for about 30 seconds, just until fragrant. Then, add the fresh spinach in batches, stirring continuously to help it wilt evenly. Cook until all the spinach has softened and the liquid it releases has completely evaporated. This step is essential to avoid excess moisture in the filling, which could make the chicken soggy during cooking. Lightly season the spinach with a pinch of salt and a touch of black pepper, then set it aside to cool to room temperature.

1. Combine the filling: While the spinach cools, crumble the feta cheese with your fingers into rough chunks—this adds texture to the final dish. Once the spinach mixture is no longer hot, combine it with the crumbled feta in a bowl. Strip the fresh thyme leaves from their stems and add them to the mixture. Stir everything together thoroughly to distribute the ingredients evenly. Taste and adjust seasoning if necessary, keeping in mind the saltiness of the feta and bacon to come.
2. Prepare the chicken: Take each chicken breast and slice it lengthwise through the center without cutting all the way through, then open it like a book to create a butterflied piece. Lay a sheet of parchment paper or plastic wrap over the meat and gently pound it with a meat mallet or the flat side of a large knife to create an even thickness throughout, which promotes uniform cooking. Be careful not to tear the meat. Once flattened, season both sides of the chicken evenly with the remaining salt and pepper.
3. Fill and roll: Divide the spinach and feta filling evenly between the two prepared chicken breasts. Place the mixture lengthwise down the center of each piece, leaving a small border along the edges to prevent overflow. Carefully roll the chicken up tightly around the filling to form a compact log shape. Try to roll firmly without squeezing out the filling.
4. Wrap in bacon: Lay the bacon slices side by side, slightly overlapping, to form a sheet large enough to wrap around each rolled chicken piece. Gently place the chicken roll onto the bacon and wrap the slices around it, tucking the ends underneath if possible. The overlapping bacon helps hold the shape during cooking and creates a cohesive, golden exterior once seared.