Ground Chicken Roulade with Liver Filling
A large sheet of seasoned ground chicken wrapped around a chicken liver, onion, and egg filling, pan-fried, oven-finished, and sliced into rounds.
Historical recipe
Modernised adaptation of an early 20th‑century source. Not independently kitchen-tested by Attic Recipes. Quantities, temperatures, and food safety guidance have been updated for a contemporary kitchen — results may vary and errors may exist. Nutritional values, where provided, are estimates only and have not been laboratory tested. Always follow current food safety guidelines for your region. If you have a health condition, allergy, or dietary requirement, consult a qualified professional before preparing this recipe.
Use of this recipe is entirely at your own risk and subject to our Terms of Service and Privacy Policy. Attic Recipes accepts no liability for any adverse outcome.
- Eggs
- Gluten
- Dairy
Additional notes
-
Warning
This roulade is a thick roll of raw ground poultry wrapped around a filling containing eggs. Pan-frying the surface alone does not guarantee the center is fully cooked. Confirm the internal temperature reaches a minimum of 74°C (165°F) at the thickest point before serving — this is especially important for pregnant women, children under 18, the elderly, and immunocompromised individuals.
Finish cooking in the oven after pan-frying and verify doneness with a food thermometer rather than relying on frying time or color alone.
- 1
Grind the chicken meat twice through a meat grinder, together with the soaked and squeezed bread rolls and the garlic cloves.
- 2
Heat the 30ml oil in a small pan and sauté the 150g chopped onion and 10g parsley until softened.
- 3
Mix the sautéed onion and parsley into the ground meat. Add the 2 eggs, salt, and pepper, and knead thoroughly until well combined. Set aside to rest briefly while you prepare the filling.
- 4
For the filling, slice the chicken livers into rounds and sear quickly in the 20ml hot oil until browned on the outside.
- 5
Add the 350g chopped onion and 10g parsley to the livers, season with pepper, and sauté together until the onion softens.
- 6
Pour in the 4 beaten eggs and cook everything together, stirring, until the eggs are set. Remove from heat and let the filling rest.
- 7
On a work surface dusted generously with flour, spread the ground meat mixture into one large flat sheet, pressing and stretching it evenly by hand.
- 8
Spread the liver filling over the center of the meat sheet.
- 9
Roll the meat sheet up tightly around the filling to form a roulade.
- 10
Dust the outside of the roulade with flour, then brush with the beaten egg white (or water) to help prevent the surface from cracking during cooking.
- 11
Heat the 300ml oil in a large skillet. Carefully lower the roulade into the hot oil and fry, turning gently, until browned on all sides.
- 12
Preheat the oven to 180°C (350°F) / 160°C fan. Transfer the browned roulade to an ovenproof dish and bake until the internal temperature at the thickest point reaches a minimum of 74°C.
Tip This oven-finishing step is a modern safety addition: the roulade is a thick cylinder of ground poultry wrapped around a raw-egg-based filling, and pan-frying the surface alone does not guarantee the center is fully cooked. Always confirm doneness with a food thermometer rather than by frying time or color alone. - 13
Let the roulade rest briefly, then slice into rounds and serve with green salad and mayonnaise.
Nutrition Information per 1 slice (approx 220g, based on 8 servings)
Nutritional values are approximate estimates and may vary based on specific ingredients used, preparation methods, and portion sizes.
Serving Suggestions
Slice into rounds and serve warm or at room temperature with a green salad and mayonnaise, as in the traditional presentation.
About This Recipe
This roulade takes the idea of a meatloaf and gives it a more elegant, sliceable form: a large sheet of seasoned ground chicken, stretched thin by hand, wrapped around a rich filling of chicken liver, onion, and scrambled egg, then rolled up and pan-fried until deeply golden. Sliced into rounds, each piece reveals a spiral of filling running through the center.
Using an older, well-fattened hen rather than a young bird was standard practice for dishes like this — older birds have more developed flavor and enough fat to keep a lean preparation like this from drying out, even after double-grinding and frying. The bones weren’t wasted either; they went into a pot for stock, even though that stock plays no further role in this particular dish.
The liver filling adds a depth of flavor that a plain ground chicken roulade wouldn’t have on its own, while the scrambled egg binds it into a sliceable filling rather than a loose mixture.
Why It Works
Grinding the chicken meat twice, along with soaked bread and garlic, produces a fine, cohesive paste that can be stretched into a thin, even sheet without tearing — essential for wrapping neatly around the filling. Searing the liver quickly before adding onions and eggs builds flavor without overcooking it at that stage, since the whole roulade gets further cooking later. Dusting and brushing the assembled roulade with egg white or water before frying helps the surface hold together and resist cracking as it firms up in the hot oil.
Modern Kitchen Tips
Keep your hands and the work surface well-floured throughout — ground chicken is stickier and softer than beef or pork, so a generous dusting makes shaping and rolling much easier. If the roulade feels too soft to hold its shape while frying, a brief chill in the refrigerator before frying can help it firm up. Use a long spatula or two to gently roll the roulade in the pan rather than lifting it, since a large ground-meat roll can be fragile before it’s fully cooked.
A classic of early 20th century home cooking, preserved and adapted for the modern kitchen.
The Story Behind This Recipe
Historical Context
Home cooks of the period used the meat of a well-fattened older hen for this dish, ground twice through a meat grinder along with bread rolls soaked in milk. The bones were simmered separately in cold water for stock, a byproduct not further used within this particular dish. The filling of chicken livers, onion, and beaten eggs was cooked separately and left to rest before assembly, and the whole roulade was traditionally finished entirely by pan-frying in hot oil, sliced once it had cooled slightly, and served with green salad and mayonnaise.
Modern Kitchen Adaptation
The original text gave no measured quantities for the chicken meat, bread rolls, milk, garlic, onions, parsley, oil, salt, pepper, flour, or frying oil — these have been estimated here based on the proportions implied by the recipe and are marked accordingly. The most significant change is the addition of an oven-finishing step after pan-frying: the traditional method relies on frying alone to cook this large roulade of ground poultry wrapped around a raw-egg-based filling, which does not reliably bring the center to a safe temperature. Finishing the roulade in the oven until it reaches a minimum internal temperature of 74°C, verified with a food thermometer, ensures the ground meat is fully and safely cooked throughout.
This recipe is an independent modern adaptation developed from historical sources in the public domain. It is provided for informational and educational purposes only and does not constitute professional dietary, nutritional, or medical advice. Food preparation involves inherent risks. The reader assumes full responsibility for safe food handling, ingredient sourcing, and adherence to current local food safety guidelines. The site operator accepts no liability for outcomes resulting from the preparation or consumption of this recipe.
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