Jam-and-balsamic roast chicken
Try this glorious recipe for a twist on the traditional Christmas roast.
Ingredients:
Chicken:
1 red onion, sliced into 0.5cm rounds
100ml berry jam
10g sage, finely chopped
2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
100ml balsamic vinegar
100ml chicken stock
1 whole chicken
salt and pepper
Stuffing:
1 loaf of sourdough or ciabatta, sliced into rough cubes
30g butter
1 onion, finely chopped
2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
10g sage, finely chopped
200g diced bacon or macon
500ml chicken stock
1 egg
3 whole sage leaves
salt and pepper
Method:
- Preheat the oven to 180°C.
- Line a roasting dish with foil and spread out the onion slices.
- Mix together the jam, sage, garlic, balsamic vinegar and a good pinch of salt and pepper.
- Place the chicken on top of the onions, breast-side up.
- Pour over the jam mixture, coating the entire chicken.
- Pour the chicken stock into the dish.
- Roast the chicken in the oven for about 1 hour or until cooked, basting the chicken with the juices every 15-20 minutes.
- Remove and put aside to rest for 10 minutes, and then carve.
Stuffing:
- Lightly toast the bread in the oven until just crispy but not too dark.
- Put the butter in a pan over a medium heat and add the onion, garlic and sage. Sauté until soft, and then place into a bowl.
- Using the same pan, add the bacon and sauté for 10 minutes. Add the bacon and the toasted bread to the bowl with the onions. Mix everything together.
- In a separate bowl, whisk together the egg and chicken stock. Season with salt and pepper.
- Pour the stock over the stuffing mix and stir until absorbed. Put aside to soak for 1 hour.
- Preheat the oven to 180°C.
- Put the stuffing mix into a greased, oven-friendly serving dish. Top with the fresh sage leaves. Cover with foil and bake for 30 minutes.
- Remove the foil and cook for a further 20-30 minutes until crispy and delicious.
