A roast chicken is one of the simplest, yet delicious meals that you can serve your family. Home cook and founder of Daddy Bae’s Kitchen, Kabelo Molepo, makes this easy-to-make stuffed chicken on a bed of seasonal vegetables which has all the makings of a fulfilling dinner this weekend.
Daddy Bae, as he is lovingly called by his partner, former journalist Poppy Louw, is handy around the kitchen and has a tip or two to share with his fellow man.
Molepo advises that you maximise your roast chicken by tucking a flavourful herb butter under the skin to keep the chicken moist.
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INGREDIENTS
1 whole chicken
Stuffing:
100 g button mushrooms
1 set of robot peppers (use ½ of each)
4 slices toasted bread
1 finely chopped onion
4 rashers of bacon
1 tsp thyme
Tuck:
½ cup butter
Salt and pepper to taste
1 spoonful of fresh herbs
Marinade:
1 tsp salt
1 tsp pepper
Chicken spice (use your discretion)
½ tsp of mixed herbs or 1 tbsp of fresh herbs
Parsley
Juice of half lemon
METHOD
- Before marinating the chicken, tuck garlic butter under the skin of whole chicken and rub on the breast.
- Marinade: In a bowl combine salt, pepper, chicken spice, mixed herbs, parsley and squeeze the juice of half a lemon. Stir and coat chicken. Let sit overnight.
- In a hot pan, fry bacon and then let excess oil drip on a paper towel.
- Toast four buttered slices of bread in the oven. Remove and blend until fine crumb consistency is achieved.
- In the same pan fry onion, garlic, peppers, mushrooms (add salt and pepper) then add bacon and breadcrumbs last. Stir until well mixed. Set aside.
- Stuff chicken with stuffing and place half a lemon at the rear end of chicken.
- In a large baking pan, place chicken on top of a bed of seasoned veggies drizzled in olive oil.
- Cook on a heat of 190 degrees for 90 minutes.
- Remove chicken and cover with foil for 20 minutes to seal moisture.
- Serve with mash and enjoy!
