Christmas Chicken with Apple, Cranberry and Lemon Stuffing Balls

Recipe by Adam Liaw

Brand Ambassador for My Cookware Australia®

If you prefer a traditional Christmas but want a dish that works well in a hot Australian summer, this is an excellent choice. The stuffing is fresh and light, featuring tart cranberries, apple, lemon, and the fragrance of sage.

The extra stuffing forms savoury balls, reminiscent of little Christmas puddings, which serve as a perfect side. This dish pairs well with summer salads, removing the need for heavy winter sides like roast potatoes. If feeding a crowd, you can roast two chickens simultaneously.

Ingredients

• 1 whole Lilydale free range chicken (approx. 1.6kg)
• Salt and pepper, to season
• Olive oil, to drizzle
• Salad greens and lemon wedges, to serve

Cranberry, Apple and Lemon Stuffing Balls

• 150 g butter
• 1 brown onion, finely chopped
• 2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
• 2 apples, grated
• 10 fresh sage leaves, roughly chopped, plus a few extra whole leaves to serve
• ½ cup roughly chopped parsley, plus extra to garnish
• Grated rind and juice of 1 lemon
• 400 g fresh sourdough breadcrumbs (about 7 slices)
• 50 g dried cranberries, plus extra to garnish
• 1 tsp chicken stock powder
• 1 egg
• Salt and black pepper, to taste

Method

1. Prepare the stuffing base: Heat a small saucepan (such as a Yukihira pot) over medium heat and add the butter, onion, and garlic. Fry for 4-5 minutes until the onion and garlic are lightly browned.
2. Mix the stuffing: Add the apple, sage, parsley, lemon zest and juice, sourdough, dried cranberries, chicken stock powder, and egg. Season well with salt and pepper. Mix well.
3. Prepare the chicken: Heat your oven to 180°C fan. Rub the chicken all over with salt and drizzle with olive oil. Stuff the cavity of the chicken with about a third of the stuffing mixture. Tie the legs of the chicken together to enclose the stuffing.
4. Roast the chicken: Place the chicken into an oiled roasting tray and roast for 75 minutes.
5. Roast the stuffing balls: Roll the remaining stuffing into balls and place them in a small, separate oiled roasting tray. Roast these during the last 30 minutes of the chicken cooking time. Drizzle the balls generously with olive oil before roasting.
6. Serve: Serve the chicken with the stuffing balls, lemon wedges, and salad greens. Scatter with extra parsley and cranberries, and finish with a drizzle of olive oil.