Barley-Stuffed Chicken Rolls with Rose and Whiskey Sauce

Recently, I found a jar of rose preserves—rose petals preserved with sugar and pectin—at a Russian market. Never having tried rose preserves, I obviously needed to buy it! I opened the jar and sniffed the marmalade-like preserves, then tried a spoonful and realized how wonderful it would taste when combined with whiskey. That was all the inspiration I needed for this recipe! Here, I’ve combined traditional Scottish flavors with the sweet, fragrant rose jam. Serve this alongside bitter greens, such as kale or broccoli rabe, which will complement the sugary jam. This is even better when served with a glass of scotch!


Barley-Stuffed Chicken Rolls with Rose and Whiskey Sauce

For the stuffing:
1 T. butter
½ medium brown onion, minced
1 large clove garlic, smashed with the side of a knife blade
3 whole cloves
1 bay leaf
1 small pinch cinnamon
½ c. pearl barley
1.5 c. low-sodium chicken broth

For the sauce:
¼ c. butter
½ medium brown onion, minced
¼ t. dried thyme
1 bay leaf
1 pinch cinnamon
1/3 c. scotch
¼ c. rose preserves*
¼ c. low-sodium chicken broth

For the chicken rolls:
6 slices chicken breasts (approx. 1.5 pounds), pounded ultra-thin
1 batch stuffing
1 batch sauce

First, make the stuffing. Melt the butter over medium-low heat, then add the onion, garlic, cloves, cinnamon, and bay leaf. Cook for 5-7 minutes, or until the onion has softened.

Add the barley, stir until each grain is coated with butter, then add the chicken broth. Stir, bring to a boil, reduce to a simmer and cover, and cook for about 30 minutes.

While the barley is cooking, make the sauce. Melt the butter over low heat. Add the onion, thyme, bay leaf, and cinnamon. Cook for about 10 minutes or until the onion is soft and translucent. Once the onion has cooked, add the scotch, rose preserves, and chicken broth. Cook, stirring constantly, until the rose preserves have completely blended in.

Once the stuffing is done cooking, let it cool a bit, and then prepare the chicken. Lay the pounded chicken on a flat surface, and spread each piece with 1-2 heaping spoonfuls of stuffing. Roll up, starting with the largest end, and secure with kitchen string or silicone ties. Place each roll seam-side down in an ovenproof baking dish.

Pour the sauce over the chicken roll. Bake for 30 minutes, basting every 5 minutes. When done baking, let rest for 5 minutes, then slice, spoon the sauce over the slices, and serve alongside a green vegetable.

* Rose preserves can be found at Russian or Eastern European markets, at specialty retailers, and online. I used Kafkas brand. If you cannot find rose preserves, simply substitute an equal amount of orange marmalade along with1-2 teaspoons rose water.

* Nutritional info: serves six. 350 calories, 12 g fat, 24 g carbohydrates, 31 g protein.

Spreading the barley stuffing on the chicken

Basting the chicken rolls as they bake

Sliced and ready to serve