Stuffed Chicken Roast

Step 1: Marinate the Chicken

Pat the chicken dry. Sprinkle salt, paprika, and lemon juice over the chicken, ensuring it's evenly coated. Set aside to marinate for 30 minutes.

Step 2: Fry Cashew Nuts and Raisins

Heat ghee/oil in a pan. Add 1 tbsp cashews and 1 tbsp raisins. Fry until golden brown. Remove and set aside.

Step 3: Fry Bread Croutons

In the same pan, add 2 slices of bread cut into cubes. Fry until golden brown. Remove and set aside.

Step 4: Sauté Onions for Stuffing

Heat 1.5 tbsp ghee or oil in a pan. Add 2 medium chopped onions and 1 tsp salt. Sauté until the onions become translucent.

Step 5: Add Aromatics to Onions

Add 4 chopped green chilies and 1 inch piece of chopped ginger to the sautéed onions. Continue frying until fragrant.

Step 6: Add Vegetables to Stuffing

Add 1 cubed blanched carrot and 1/2 cup green peas to the pan. Sauté for a few minutes.

Step 7: Add Lemon Juice to Stuffing

Squeeze the juice of half a lemon into the vegetable mixture.

Step 8: Combine Stuffing Ingredients

Add the fried bread croutons, fried cashews, and raisins back into the pan. Add chopped coriander leaves.

Step 9: Season the Stuffing

Sprinkle 1/2 tsp garam masala powder and 1/2 tsp pepper powder over the stuffing mixture. Mix well and allow it to cool completely before stuffing the chicken.

Step 10: Prepare Chicken for Stuffing

Gently lift the skin of the marinated chicken and insert small cubes of butter between the skin and the flesh.

Step 11: Stuff the Chicken

Carefully spoon the cooled stuffing mixture into the cavity of the chicken. Secure the opening of the cavity with toothpicks or by sewing it shut to prevent the stuffing from spilling out during roasting.

Step 12: Initial Roasting

Place the stuffed chicken in a roasting pan. Baste the chicken generously with melted butter. Arrange potato wedges, carrot sticks, and green beans around the chicken. Bake in a preheated oven at 180°C (≈355°F) (approximately 355°F) for 30 minutes.

Step 13: Mid-Roast Basting

After 30 minutes, remove the chicken from the oven. Baste it again with melted butter. If desired, add more fresh vegetables to the pan. Return the chicken to the oven to continue baking.

Step 14: Final Roasting

Continue baking the chicken at 180°C (≈355°F) (approximately 355°F) for an additional 40 minutes, or until the total baking time reaches 1 hour 10 minutes and the chicken is golden brown and cooked through.

Step 15: Rest and Carve

Once roasted, remove the chicken from the oven and let it rest for 15 minutes before carving. This allows the juices to redistribute, resulting in a more tender and flavorful chicken.

• Use a small bird (1.2 Kgs) for beginners.

• Pat the chicken dry before marinating.

• Set aside marinated chicken for 30 minutes.

• Remove fried cashews and raisins from the pan to prevent burning.

• Fry onions until translucent.

• You could add chicken liver & cold cuts to the stuffing at the stage of adding blanched vegetables.

• Let the stuffing cool before stuffing it into the chicken.

• Insert cubes of butter between the skin of the chicken and the flesh for added moisture and flavor.

• Secure the cavity with toothpicks or sew it.

• Baste the chicken with melted butter during roasting.

• Add vegetables (potatoes, carrots, green beans) around the chicken in the roasting pan.

• Allow the chicken to rest for 15 minutes before carving to retain juices.

• Add chicken liver and cold cuts to the stuffing.