STUFFED ROAST CHICKEN

The chorizo, bean and tomato stuffing helps the bird to cook evenly and perfumes the meat as it cooks. Serve it alongside the chicken with some steamed greens or a mixed leaf salad.

Recipe taken from Ultimate CookeryCourse by Gordon Ramsay

             

Ingredients:

1 large free-range chicken, about 2kg

1 lemon

Olive oil, for drizzling

1 heaped tsp paprika (sweet or smoked, as preferred)

400ml white wine

For the chorizo stuffing

Olive oil, for frying

150–200g chorizo, skinned and cubed

1 onion, peeled and finely chopped

2 garlic cloves, peeled and finely sliced

Bunch of thyme sprigs

2 x 400g tins cannellini beans, drained and rinsed

200g semi-dried/sunblush tomatoes in oil

Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

Preparation:

Preheat the oven to 180°C/Gas 4.

First make the stuffing. Heat a little olive oil in a large frying pan, add the chorizo and fry for about 3 minutes until turning golden. Add the onion and cook for a minute or two until softened, then add the garlic. Cook for a further couple of minutes before adding the leaves from 3 thyme sprigs. Stir in the cannellini beans, seasoning well. Cook for a minute or two to warm through. Add the tomatoes and a couple of tablespoons of the oil they are stored in. Stir to combine, then remove from the heat.

Now prepare the chicken. Season the cavity with salt and pepper, then fill with the chorizo stuffing and place a whole lemon at the cavity opening, tucking any excess skin over it. Drizzle the chicken with olive oil, sprinkle over the paprika and season with salt and pepper. Rub into the chicken skin.

Pour the wine and about 200ml of water into a roasting tray and season. Add the chicken and the remaining sprigs of thyme, then cover with foil and roast for 1 hour in the preheated oven.

After 1 hour, remove the foil from the chicken, baste with the roasting juices and turn the oven up to 200°C/Gas 6. Roast for another 25–30 minutes until the skin is golden brown and the juices from the thigh run clear. Remove from the oven and rest for 15 minutes before serving.

Remove the lemon from the chicken cavity, and squeeze the juice into the pan juices. Whisk together to create a light gravy – if you prefer a thicker gravy, reduce over a high heat.