Serve up a feast this Christmas with a classic roast chicken, delicious stuffing and a medley of colourful vegetables.
Ingredients
- 2kg whole chicken
- 1 1/2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1kg butternut pumpkin, peeled, seeded, cut into 4cm pieces
- 2 tablespoons maple syrup
- 400g punnet tomato medley
- 200g punnet grape tomatoes
- 200g green beans, trimmed
- 1 tablespoon fresh thyme sprigs
Maple macadamia stuffing
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 small brown onion, finely chopped
- 2 middle bacon rashers, trimmed, finely chopped
- 1 garlic clove, crushed
- 1/3 cup macadamia nuts, chopped
- 2 tablespoons maple syrup
- 2 cups fresh breadcrumbs
- 1 egg, lightly beaten
- 2 teaspoons chopped fresh thyme leaves
Equipment
- You'll need unwaxed kitchen string.
Method
- Step 1Make Maple macadamia stuffing: Heat oil in a frying pan over medium-high heat. Add onion. Cook, stirring, for 3 minutes or until softened. Add bacon and garlic. Cook, stirring, for 4 to 5 minutes or until bacon has browned. Add macadamias. Cook, stirring, for 1 minute. Remove from heat. Cool for 10 minutes. Stir in maple syrup, breadcrumbs, egg and thyme. Season with pepper.
- Step 2Preheat oven to 200°C/180°C fan-forced. Place chicken on a board. Spoon stuffing into cavity. Secure with a toothpick to enclose filling. Tie legs together with kitchen string. Transfer chicken to a large roasting pan. Drizzle with half the oil. Season with salt and pepper. Roast for 30 minutes. Reduce temperature to 180°C/160°C fan-forced. Roast for 30 minutes, basting with juices (see note).
- Step 3Add pumpkin to pan. Drizzle with remaining oil and half the maple syrup. Season with pepper. Roast for 45 minutes. Turn pumpkin. Add tomatoes to pan. Drizzle with remaining maple syrup. Roast for 15 minutes or until juices run clear when chicken thigh is pierced with a skewer.
- Step 4Meanwhile, cook beans in a saucepan of boiling water for 2 to 3 minutes or until just tender. Drain. Rinse under cold water. Add to roasting pan in the last 5 minutes of cooking. Remove string from chicken. Serve with vegetables, sprinkle with thyme sprigs.
- High protein
- Low carb
- Lower gi
Nutrition
3094 kj
Energy
29g
Fat Total
7g
Saturated Fat
7g
Fibre
76g
Protein
261mg
Cholesterol
537.78mg
Sodium
25g
Carbs (sugar)
41g
Carbs (total)
All nutrition values are per serve
Notes
For delicious crispy skin, baste chicken every 20 minutes with pan juices.
- Author: Kim Coverdale
- Image credit: Ben Dearnley
- Publication: Super Food Ideas
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