Making Chicken Terrine: A Step-By-Step Guide

Chicken terrine is a savoury, herb-flecked dish that can be made in advance and served as a starter. It is a thrifty dish, often made with humble ingredients, and can be served warm or cold. Chicken terrine is typically cooked in a loaf pan or lined mould, and can be wrapped in prosciutto or bacon. The dish is often served with bread, salad, and mustard.

How to Make Chicken Terrine

Chicken preparation

Selecting the Chicken:

Start by choosing fresh and good-quality chicken for your terrine. You can opt for chicken breasts, thighs, or legs, depending on your preference. If you want to make the chicken mousse, as mentioned in one of the recipes, you will need boneless and skinless chicken breasts. However, if you wish to use chicken legs, you can include the skin for added flavour.

Deboning and Cutting the Chicken:

Before you begin, ensure that you have a clean and sanitized workspace. Proceed to remove the bones from the chicken if they are still intact. You can use a sharp knife or kitchen shears to carefully separate the meat from the bones. Once deboned, cut the chicken into small pieces. The size of the pieces may vary depending on the recipe you follow, ranging from thin strips to 1-inch cubes.

Seasoning the Chicken:

Seasoning the chicken is a crucial step in enhancing its flavour. In one of the recipes, it is recommended to heavily season chicken legs with salt and let them rest for 24 hours in a tight-fitting bowl with herbs and garlic. This process helps to infuse the chicken with flavour. For a precise seasoning ratio, calculate the total weight of your chicken and use a specific percentage of salt. For instance, 1.8% of the total weight in salt can provide a well-seasoned dish.

Preparing the Chicken Mousse:

If you're making a chicken mousse, place the diced chicken breast in a blender or food processor. Add the white of one egg, and then blend until the mixture is coarsely ground. This step creates a smooth and emulsified base for your terrine.

Cooking the Chicken:

Some recipes call for cooking the chicken before assembling the terrine. This can be done by poaching the chicken in a gentle simmer or baking it in the oven. For poaching, you can use chicken stock or water, ensuring the chicken is fully submerged. Cook until the chicken is tender, and the meat easily comes off the bone. If baking, follow the temperature and timing instructions provided in the recipe you are following.

Mixing and Assembling:

After cooking the chicken, it's essential to let it cool before assembling the terrine. Pick the meat from the bones and set it aside. Depending on your recipe, you might mix the chicken with other ingredients such as herbs, spices, or vegetables. Some recipes call for a food processor to blend all the ingredients until smooth. Others suggest mixing by hand, creating a coarser texture.

Remember, these are general guidelines, and specific recipes may vary. Always refer to the recipe you are following for detailed instructions on chicken preparation and cooking techniques.

Cooking the chicken

Preparing the Chicken

Before cooking, you will need to debone and skin the chicken. You can use a combination of chicken breasts and thighs, or just chicken legs. Remove any fat from the chicken and cut it into small pieces. For a finer texture, you can use a food processor to grind the chicken until it is coarsely ground or process it into a smooth mixture.

Seasoning the Chicken

Seasoning the chicken is an important step to build flavour. Salt and pepper are essential, and you can use exact ratios for seasoning if desired. For instance, use 1.8% salt and 0.5% white pepper of the total weight of the chicken and other ingredients like cream. You can also add in spices like ground clove, nutmeg, allspice, and black pepper for extra flavour.

Cooking Methods

There are a few methods to cook the chicken:

• Poaching: One method is to poach the chicken gently in chicken stock. Bring the stock to 80°C and add the chicken legs, ensuring they are covered. Simmer for 2-3 hours until the meat is tender and starts to fall off the bone.
• Baking: Another method is to bake the chicken in an oven. Line a loaf pan with aluminium foil or cling film, and layer the chicken with other ingredients like bacon, vegetables, or herbs. Cover the pan with foil and bake at 170°C for about 1.5 hours, or until the terrine is firm and the juices run clear. Alternatively, bake at a higher temperature of 325°C for about an hour, removing the foil halfway through, and bake uncovered for 20-30 minutes more. The internal temperature of the terrine should reach 140-150°F.

Cooling and Setting

After cooking, it is important to cool the chicken and let it set. Remove the chicken from the heat and let it rest in the cooking liquid for about an hour. Then, remove the chicken from the liquid and chill it in the refrigerator for at least 12 hours or overnight. This will help the terrine firm up and make it easier to slice.

By following these steps and choosing your preferred cooking method, you can create a delicious and impressive chicken terrine that is perfect for entertaining guests or enjoying as a rustic lunch or dinner.

Preparing the mould

Firstly, choose the right mould. A traditional terrine mould is made from cast iron and is larger than a bread loaf pan. You can also use a loaf pan or a similar-sized mould for your chicken terrine. If you want to be extra fancy, you can use a terrine dish or a loaf tin.

Before you start lining your mould, preheat your oven to the desired temperature. This will usually be around 325 degrees Fahrenheit or 170 degrees Celsius.

Now, it's time to line the mould. There are a few different options for lining the mould:

• Lining the mould with fat is traditional and helps keep the terrine moist. If you can find pork caul fat, it's a great option.
• If you don't have caul fat, you can use thinly sliced Italian prosciutto. It is recommended to use prosciutto or similar instead of regular bacon, as bacon can be too thick and salty for this dish.
• For a vegetarian option, you can line the mould with a double layer of cling film.
• You can also get creative with the lining! Try using blanched leek or spinach, or slices of prosciutto or pancetta.

Once you've chosen your lining, here's how to prepare the mould:

• If using cling film, oil the loaf pan or mould and then line it with a double layer of cling film.
• If using prosciutto or similar, line the mould or dish so that the slices overlap to cover the base and sides, with some overhanging the edges.
• If using caul fat or bacon, warm the mould first by running a knife down the sides or heating the outside of the pan with hot water. Then, line the mould with the caul fat or bacon.

Now your mould is prepared, you're ready to start assembling your chicken terrine!

Layering the ingredients

Firstly, prepare the ingredients you plan to layer. This could include cooked chicken meat, chicken mousse or chicken mince, vegetables such as mushrooms, leeks, or bell peppers, and herbs like parsley, thyme, or chives. You may also want to include ingredients like pistachios, pancetta, or bacon.

Secondly, choose a suitable mould or loaf tin for your terrine. Line the tin with a layer of fat, such as pork caul fat, thinly sliced prosciutto, or bacon rashers, ensuring they overlap slightly and leave some overhanging the tin.

Now you are ready to begin layering. Start by adding a drizzle of stock, chicken broth, or another liquid to the base of the tin. This will help the ingredients bind together. Then, add a single layer of chicken, spreading it out evenly. Don't worry if there are small gaps.

Next, add a layer of vegetables, discarding any herbs used to flavour the vegetables during cooking. Season this layer with salt and pepper, then moisten with a little more stock.

Continue building layers, alternating between chicken and other ingredients such as vegetables, herbs, nuts, or diced meats like pancetta or bacon. Drizzle stock or another liquid of your choice between each layer, and season with salt and pepper as you go.

When your mould is full or you have used up your ingredients, finish with a final scattering of herbs and a last ladle of stock. Tap the dish down a few times to ensure the stock fills any gaps.

Finally, fold over the overlapping bacon, prosciutto, or cling film used to line the tin, encasing the layered ingredients. Press down gently, then place the terrine in a dish to catch any juices. Weigh it down and chill for at least 12 hours or preferably overnight.

Your chicken terrine is now ready to be sliced and served!

Cooking and serving

Chicken terrine is a fancy dish that can be served at a dinner party or as a rustic lunch. It is best made 24 hours before serving, but you can make it up to 48 hours in advance.

Cooking

Preheat your oven to 170°C. Grease a 1.5-litre loaf tin or a traditional three-pound cast-iron terrine mould and line it with bacon rashers, overlapping each rasher slightly and leaving 5 cm overhanging the tin. You can also line the tin with prosciutto, or blanched leek or spinach.

For the filling, melt some butter in a frying pan over low heat. Add onions and garlic and cook until soft and just coloured. Transfer to a large bowl. Add the chicken mince, chopped pork belly, pancetta, nuts, brandy, herbs, and lemon zest to the bowl and mix well. Season with plenty of salt and freshly ground black pepper.

Half-fill the terrine tin with the mixture and then layer the chicken breast meat on top. Top with the remaining terrine mixture, firming it down and levelling the top. Fold over the overlapping bacon.

Cover the dish with a lid or foil and place it in a deep baking tin. Pour enough boiling water into the baking tin to come halfway up the side of the terrine. Bake for 1½ hours, or until the terrine is firm and the juices run clear. Remove the terrine dish from the baking tin and allow it to cool in the tin. Chill well before serving.

Serving

To serve, turn the terrine out of the dish and slice it thickly. Serve with crusty bread, a few salad leaves, and chutney. You can also serve it with blistered shishito peppers, lightly pickled cucumber, and a dollop of sour cream and mustard.

Frequently asked questions