Roast chicken with stuffing
Author: John Williams
Serves: 4
Ingredients
- roast chicken:
- 1 good free range or organic chicken, giblets removed
- 40g soft butter
- 30ml oil
- 1 onion, peeled and halved
- 1 lemon, halved
- 3 large sprigs of rosemary
- 3 large sprigs of thyme
- gravy:
- 200ml stock, ideally made from the chicken giblets and poultry trimmings
- stuffing:
- 500g good spicy sausage meat (Cumberland)
- 100g onion, finely chopped
- 150g chestnuts: blanched, peeled and broken up (optional)
- 150g fresh breadcrumbs
- ½ bunch sage, chopped
- ½ bunch parsley, chopped
- 25g butter
Method
- Remove the chicken from the fridge 2 hours before cooking. Preheat the oven to 180C/Gas 4. In a bowl, mix the butter with some seasoning. Using your fingers, carefully lift the skin away from the breast of the chicken and smear the butter under the skin on to
- the breast.
- Place the chicken in a roasting tray with a little oil, then put the onion, lemon and herbs in the cavity; tie the legs with string. Place in the oven and roast (time dependent on size) basting every 15 mins so it becomes a rich golden brown. Once cooked, remove from the oven and leave to rest for 20 mins. Reserve the juices for the gravy.
- For the stuffing, melt the butter in a pan and add the onion, cover with a lid and sweat for 3-4 mins. Remove from the heat. In a mixing bowl, mix the sausage meat with a wooden spoon, add the onions and herbs with the chestnuts. Finally, add the breadcrumbs and mix thoroughly. Mould into some foil then roll into a large sausage and place on some baking foil and cook at the same temperature for 30 mins until cooked through.
- For the gravy, skim off the
- excess fat from the juices and place the tray on the stove. Add stock, bring to the boil and simmer for 10 mins, season and pour through a sieve into a serving jug. Note: if you prefer thicker gravy finish with a tablespoon of slaked corn flour.
- Serve with: Brussels sprouts, glazed carrots, roast parsnips, whole salt-baked beetroot, duck fat-roast potatoes
