Some dishes announce themselves. Balmoral chicken arrives looking like a perfectly ordinary chicken breast, wrapped up neatly and sitting in a pool of creamy sauce. Then you cut into it and find a seam of dark, peppery haggis running through the middle.
It is one of the most popular Scottish dishes on pub menus, and it has a proud spot on our menu at Brunswick Book Club. In this guide we explain what Balmoral chicken is, where the name comes from, how to make it at home, and how we serve it on Leith Walk.
What Is Balmoral Chicken?
Balmoral chicken is a chicken breast stuffed with haggis, wrapped in bacon or ham, roasted, and served with a sauce, most often a whisky cream sauce. Peppercorn sauce is a popular alternative.
It usually comes with mashed potatoes or mashed turnip (neeps) and a green vegetable. Think of it as the national dish’s smarter cousin: all the flavour of haggis, neeps and tatties, served in a way that feels a little more like a dinner party.
You will also see it called chicken Balmoral or Highland chicken. They are the same idea, sometimes with small differences in the wrapping or the sauce.
Where Does the Name Come From?
The dish takes its name from Balmoral Castle, the royal estate in Aberdeenshire bought for Queen Victoria by Prince Albert in the 1850s. Balmoral has been the royal family’s Scottish summer home ever since, and the name has long been used to give things a bit of Highland grandeur, from bonnets to boots to biscuits.
Nobody can say for certain who first stuffed a chicken breast with haggis and gave it a royal title. It is not a medieval recipe or a court dish; it is a more modern Scottish pub and hotel classic, and it has spread because it works. The name sells the idea of something hearty, Scottish and slightly special, and the dish lives up to it.
Why Haggis and Chicken Work So Well
Chicken breast is lean and mild. On its own it can be dry and a bit dull. Haggis is the opposite: rich, fatty, peppery and full of oatmeal texture.
Put them together and each fixes the other’s weakness. The haggis seasons the chicken from the inside and keeps it moist as it cooks. The chicken softens the intensity of the haggis, which makes Balmoral chicken a very good first taste for anyone nervous about the real thing.
The wrapping does an important job too. Bacon or ham holds the parcel together, protects the chicken from drying out in the oven, and adds a salty, crisp outer layer. The whisky sauce brings everything back together with a little sweetness and warmth.
How to Make Balmoral Chicken at Home
Here is a simple version for two. It takes around 45 minutes, most of which is oven time.
Ingredients
- 2 skinless chicken breasts
- 100g haggis (or vegetarian haggis)
- 6 rashers of streaky bacon, or 4 slices of Parma ham
- 1 tbsp oil
- Salt and black pepper
For the whisky sauce
- 1 small shallot, finely chopped
- 15g butter
- 50ml Scotch whisky
- 150ml chicken stock
- 100ml double cream
- 1 tsp wholegrain mustard
Method
- Heat the oven to 200°C (180°C fan).
- Make a pocket. Lay each chicken breast flat on a chopping board and, using a sharp knife, cut a deep slit along the thickest side, stopping about 1cm short of the opposite side, to create a pocket. Do not cut all the way through.
- Stuff it. If you have cooked the haggis first, let it cool before handling. Crumble the haggis and press half into each pocket. Close the chicken around it.
- Wrap it. Wrap each breast in streaky bacon or Parma ham, overlapping slightly, so the opening is sealed. Season with black pepper (go easy on salt; the haggis and bacon bring plenty).
- Sear and roast. Brown the parcels in an ovenproof frying pan with the oil for two minutes a side, then transfer to the oven for 20 to 25 minutes, until the chicken reaches 75°C in the thickest part. Rest for five minutes.
- Make the sauce. While the chicken rests, soften the shallot in the butter over a medium heat. Add the whisky and let it bubble for a minute to cook off the alcohol. Add the stock and reduce by half, then stir in the cream and mustard and simmer until it coats the back of a spoon.
- Serve. Slice each parcel in half on the diagonal to show off the haggis, and spoon over the sauce.
What to serve it with
Mashed potato, buttery mashed neeps or simple boiled potatoes are the classic pairing. Green beans, savoy cabbage or tenderstem broccoli add freshness. For a fuller Scottish feast, our guide to haggis, neeps and tatties covers how to get the mashes right.
Tips for getting it right
- Use a meat thermometer. Stuffed chicken can look cooked on the outside before the centre is done.
- Do not overstuff. Too much haggis and the parcel splits.
- Rest it. Five minutes out of the oven keeps the juices in the chicken rather than on the board.
- Pick your whisky sensibly. A smooth, inexpensive blend is ideal for cooking. Save the good single malt for the glass.
Variations worth trying
Once you have the basic method, it is easy to play with. A few ideas:
- Swap the sauce. A peppercorn sauce made with black peppercorns crushed with a rolling pin, a splash of brandy or whisky, stock and cream is the most common alternative, and it leans into the pepper in the haggis.
- Add black pudding. Mix a little crumbled black pudding into the haggis for an even richer stuffing.
- Use chicken thighs. Boneless thighs stay juicier than breasts and are harder to overcook. Flatten them, roll them around the haggis and wrap as before.
- Use up leftover haggis. Any haggis left over can be rolled into bonbons, fried until crisp, or stirred through a breakfast hash.
- Make it ahead. You can stuff and wrap the parcels the morning before, keep them covered in the fridge and roast them when guests arrive. Add a few minutes to the cooking time if they go in cold.
Balmoral Chicken at Brunswick Book Club
If you would rather leave the cooking to someone else, our Balmoral Chicken is on the main menu every day from noon to 10pm.
We stuff the chicken with haggis, wrap it in Parma ham rather than bacon, and serve it with turnip mash, French beans and a light whisky sauce. The Parma ham gives a thinner, crisper wrap, which keeps the plate a touch lighter. At the time of writing it is £18.95 on our food menu.
It suits visitors who want something Scottish without going all in on haggis, and locals who know exactly what they are ordering.
Other Scottish favourites on the menu
If Balmoral chicken has you in a Scottish mood, there is plenty more:
- Haggis, Neeps and Tatties with whisky sauce, the national dish served straight.
- The Full Scottish breakfast, with haggis, black pudding and potato scone, served until 5pm.
- Eggs with Haggis and Chilli Jam, a brunch favourite. See our guide to brunch on Leith Walk.
- Steak Pie with slow-cooked beef and ale, a Scottish pub essential.
What to drink with it
A whisky alongside is the natural choice, given what is in the sauce. If you would like something longer, the Madri or Staropramen lagers are crisp enough to cut through the cream, and a glass of Malbec suits the richness of the haggis. Our drinks menu has the full list, including alcohol-free beers and cocktails.
Balmoral Chicken for Burns Night
Because it contains haggis, Balmoral chicken is a popular choice for Burns suppers on 25 January. It is a crowd-pleaser for guests who are not quite ready for a full plate of haggis, and it looks impressive on a dinner table.
If you are hosting at home, the recipe above scales easily: allow one stuffed breast per person and double the sauce for four. If you would rather celebrate somewhere else, keep an eye on our homepage and Instagram for what we are planning.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is Balmoral chicken?
Balmoral chicken is a chicken breast stuffed with haggis, wrapped in bacon or ham, and served with a sauce, usually whisky cream or peppercorn.
Why is it called Balmoral chicken?
It is named after Balmoral Castle, the royal family’s Scottish estate in Aberdeenshire. The name gives the dish a Highland, slightly grand feel.
What is the difference between Balmoral chicken and Highland chicken?
They are essentially the same dish. “Highland chicken” is another name for haggis-stuffed chicken, and recipes vary slightly in the wrapping and the sauce.
What sauce goes with Balmoral chicken?
A whisky cream sauce is traditional. Peppercorn sauce is the most common alternative.
Can you make Balmoral chicken with vegetarian haggis?
Yes. Vegetarian haggis works well as a stuffing for home cooks, though the chicken itself still makes it a meat dish.
Where can I eat Balmoral chicken in Edinburgh?
At Brunswick Book Club on Leith Walk, where we serve it wrapped in Parma ham with turnip mash, French beans and a light whisky sauce.
Taste It on Leith Walk
Cooking it yourself is satisfying. Having it brought to your table with a drink in hand is better. Book a table at Brunswick Book Club and try our Balmoral Chicken for yourself.
