Roast stuffed chicken with mustard fruits and green sauce

Roast stuffed chicken with mustard fruits and green sauce

A main-event showstopper, follow this recipe for a roast stuffed chicken full of vibrant festive flavours. The sweet-spicy accompaniment of mustard-preserved fruit and vibrant herb dressing seriously takes it to the next level.

Roast stuffed chicken with mustard fruits and green sauce

While you’re here, browse our alternative Christmas roast recipes for some new festive inspiration.

  • Serves icon Serves 8
  • Time icon Hands-on time 45 min, oven time 1 hour 30-40 min, plus resting

A main-event showstopper, follow this recipe for a roast stuffed chicken full of vibrant festive flavours. The sweet-spicy accompaniment of mustard-preserved fruit and vibrant herb dressing seriously takes it to the next level.

While you’re here, browse our alternative Christmas roast recipes for some new festive inspiration.

Nutrition: For 8

Calories
590kcals
Fat
26.4g (6.8g saturated)
Protein
61.9g
Carbohydrates
24.7g (19.9g sugars)
Fibre
2.5g
Salt
1.3g

Ingredients

  • 2.5kg whole free-range chicken – some butchers and online suppliers sell cockerels, which are larger and worth seeking out
  • Olive oil for rubbing
  • 380g jar Italian mustard fruits (see Know-how)

For the stuffing

  • Olive oil for frying
  • 2 shallots, finely chopped
  • 3 celery sticks, finely chopped
  • 2 garlic cloves, crushed
  • 1 tsp dried oregano
  • 3 fresh sage leaves, finely chopped
  • 250g British free-range pork mince
  • 100g smoked diced pancetta
  • Pinch ground allspice
  • Pinch ground cinnamon
  • Pinch ground coriander
  • 1 medium free-range egg, beaten 
  • 50g fresh breadcrumbs
  • 3-4 tbsp pine nuts
  • 30g dried porcini mushrooms (ceps), soaked in boiling water for 10 minutes, then chopped (reserve the soaking water for the stock)

For the stock

  • 1 litre chicken stock
  • 2 fresh tarragon sprigs
  • 1 fresh bay leaf
  • 1 garlic clove, bashed

For the green sauce

  • Bunch fresh flatleaf parsley
  • Small bunch fresh mint
  • Handful rocket or watercress
  • 1 tbsp nonpareille capers, drained 
  • 1 tbsp dijon mustard
  • 80-100ml extra-virgin olive oil
  • 2-3 tbsp red wine vinegar to taste

Useful to have…

  • Digital probe thermometer
Sticky screen? No thanks! Tap to prevent your screen from going off while cooking.

Method

  1. For the stuffing, heat a little olive oil in a frying pan and gently cook the shallots, celery and garlic for 10 minutes until soft. Remove from the heat and leave to cool.
  2. Mix all the other stuffing ingredients in a bowl, then add the cooled shallot mixture and stir to combine. Season with salt and pepper (see Make Ahead). To taste the mix before cooking, fry a bit in a small frying pan and adjust the seasoning if necessary.
  3. Season the bird generously inside and out, put in a roasting tin, then leave for 30 minutes to 1 hour at room temperature for the seasoning to take effect. Stuff the neck cavity of the bird with as much stuffing mix as you can, then roll the rest into balls to roast alongside (see Make Ahead). Heat the oven to 200°C/180°C fan/gas 6.
  4. Rub the chicken with olive oil, then roast for 1 hour 30-40 minutes. Add the stuffing balls to the tray for the final 30 minutes. If the bird browns too quickly, cover the breast meat with foil. To check the chicken is cooked, insert a skewer into the thick thigh meat and look for clear juices or a digital probe reading of 72°C. Once cooked, set aside to rest for up to an hour before carving.
  5. Meanwhile, make the stock. Put all the ingredients in a pan with the reserved mushroom soaking liquid (making sure it’s free of grit). Bring to the boil, then simmer until reduced by half. Season to taste, then strain and keep warm./li>
  6. For the green sauce, finely chop the parsley, mint, rocket/watercress and capers, then put in a bowl, stir in the dijon mustard and slowly drizzle in enough olive oil to make a loose dressing. Season to taste with the vinegar, salt and pepper (see Make Ahead).
  7. To serve, put the chicken on a deep platter with the stuffing balls, then pour over some infused stock, a little of the mustard fruit liquid, mustard fruits and green sauce. Serve with your favourite veg.

This recipe is by chef Matt Tebbutt. 

Nutrition

Calories
590kcals
Fat
26.4g (6.8g saturated)
Protein
61.9g
Carbohydrates
24.7g (19.9g sugars)
Fibre
2.5g
Salt
1.3g

delicious. tips

  1. Roll any spare stuffing into balls, then roast separately alongside the bird for the final 30 minutes of roasting time.

  2. Make the stuffing and green sauce up to 2 days ahead. Stuff the chicken up to a day before cooking, cover and chill.

    Leftovers will keep covered in the fridge for up to 2 days. Once cooked, the bird can rest for up to an hour.

  3. Mustard fruits are whole fruits preserved in sugar syrup flavoured with spicy mustard oil. Available from Italian delis or melburyandappleton.co.uk.

  4. A fresh, well danced white burgundy takes the prize here – try a meursault for a treat.

Buy ingredients online

Recipe By

Matt Tebbutt

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