Stuffed and Roasted Baby Chicken

I was little skeptical of posting this recipe for quite a while now, as it’s purely non-vegetarian stuff and many of my vegetarian friends wont like seeing this.My apologies to them,but believe me this has been part of our weekend menu for a quite a while now and we really enjoy eating it.
So here,this time I thought of posting about stuffed roasted baby chicken.Believe me there are many versions of stuffed roasted chicken,but each has it’s unique way of marination,then stuffing and even the temperature at which it’s roasted.Even each time I make it,this turn out little different.I have made with skin on and also without skin.I would say choose whatever way you make them but each time it will turn out delicious.
I have made the stuffing with few slices of whole wheat bread crumbs+spring onions this time.But I also like to make the stuffing with mushroom+bell peppers chopped finely.Another thing which I like to add is dried herbs like thyme +all the dry ground spices which we use everyday in our cooking.

Now to the recipe
Roasted Stuffed Chicken
Recipe requirements

• 1 baby chicken
• For the marination
• ½ cup of yogurt
• 2 tsp of red pepper powder
• 2 tsp of red pepper flakes
• 1 tsp of turmeric powder
• 2 tsp of cumin powder
• 2 tsp of coriander powder
• 3 tsp of Shaan Shekh kabab masala powder
• 1 tsp of dried thyme or any other herb
• 2 tbs of cooking oil
• Salt as per taste
• Mix all the dry ingredients in a bowl with yogurt.Whisk in gently till they blend well.
• For the stuffing
• 2 slices of whole wheat bread made into crumbs
• 1 bunch of spring onions chopped finely
• 1 tsp of red pepper powder
• 2 fat garlic chopped finely
• Salt as per taste

Method

• Wash the chicken well in lukewarm water specially inside the cavity.
• Now make the marination
• Whisk in cumin+coriander+red pepper +turmeric+shekh Kabab masala+dried thyme+red pepper flakes +salt as per taste in yogurt very well.
• Now generously rub it all over the chicken and also to inside the cavity of chicken.
• Keep refrigerated overnight.This way chicken absorbs the flavour most and turn out more tender.I would say this is very similar to the process of brining-soaking the chicken in salt water.I do think the moisture and tangy flavour of yogurt marinating baby chicken overnight makes it more tender.Please do not skip this stage for making roasted stuffed chicken.
• Next morning prepare the stuffing
• Chop spring onions and garlic and then add in red pepper powder,salt and rest of the marination of chicken.
• Stuff this mixture inside chicken cavity with spoon or use your hand (by the way I prefer the last one).Now if you feel you may tie or sew the chicken with thread so that the stuffing don’t come out.But usually I don’t do this.
• Preheat oven (fan assisted) at 190 deg Celcius for 2mints.
• Line a roasting tray with foil and then place the chicken stuffed over it.Place in the second shelf of the oven.
• Bake it for 45 mints without skin and if the chicken has skin, then add in more 4-5 mints(personally I prefer roasting with skin on as it holds the moisture well and is more flavourful).Check for your make of oven and check about proper temperature for roasting.Half way thro ,take out chicken and bast/brush it with some oil.
• Usually I like to avoid roasting at 200 deg or more because it may burn up the tender meat of baby chicken.And roasting slowly makes it more flavouring.If you are using roaster or chicken more than 3 lb then increase the duration of roasting to at least 1 ½ hr or till chicken is no longer pink and juices run clear.

Note-
You may use any stuffing also, I have used many times celery+mushroom or mushroom+bell pepper as stuffing for the chicken.
Happy Cooking

Updated on 12/12/10

Made again today and now roasted it at 175 deg C for 55 mints with out skin.This time stuffing was very unusual.We had some left-over banana pancakes , so used this in place of  whole-meal bread.

Added Anar dana powder/Pomegranate powder in the rubbing mixture for the  dry spices..added Cooking oil approx 3-4 tbs in place of yogurt as suggested by my better half.This came out more flavourful , more of an improvised version of tandoori chicken.

Uploading more pictures on 17/01/11

and one more

Happy Cooking