Cranberry & Hazelnut Stuffed Chicken with Roasted Parsnips & Cranberry Gravy



Prep Time: 20 minutes

Cooking Time: 2 hours

Serves: 4

Ingredients

• 1 Whole Chicken
• 1 Brown Onion
• 2 Garlic Cloves
• 10 Sprigs Thyme
• 2 Sprigs Rosemary
• 1 Cup Dried Cranberries
• ½ Cup Roasted Hazelnuts
• 6 Slices Sourdough Bread
• 6 Tbsp Fig Vino Cotto
• 3 Parsnips
• 500ml Chicken Stock
• 2 Tbsp Dijon Mustard
• 2 Tbsp Corn Flour
• Olive Oil
• Salt and Pepper
• 60g Butter

Method

1. Preheat the oven to 160°C. Pat dry the chicken and place it into a mixing bowl.
   
   
2. Add the mustard, drizzle with 3 tablespoons of Vino Cotto, drizzle olive oil, and season with salt and pepper. Mix well, rubbing the mixture all over the chicken. Set aside.
   
   
3. Finely dice the onion, chop the garlic, cut the bread into roughly 1cm pieces, and roughly chop the cranberries and hazelnuts. Pick the rosemary and thyme, and finely chop. Set all the ingredients aside.
   
   
4. Bring a frying pan to medium-high heat, drizzle with olive oil, and add the onion. Cook for 3-4 minutes, then add the garlic and herbs, cooking for 2 more minutes while stirring occasionally.
   
   
5. Add half of the cranberries and the hazelnuts. Stir through.
   
   
6. Add the bread, mustard, and butter, mixing until the butter is melted. Add 2 tablespoons of Vincotto, season with salt and pepper, and stir through. Remove from heat.
   
   
7. Stuff the chicken with the cranberry stuffing and tie the legs together. Place it into the preheated oven and roast for 1 hour and 40 minutes.
   
   
8. Prep the parsnips by peeling and cutting them into 3cm batons. Place on a baking tray lined with baking paper, drizzle with olive oil, and season with salt and pepper. Set aside and cook half an hour before the chicken is ready.
   
   
9. Place the chicken stock in a small saucepan. Add a couple of sprigs of thyme, 1 or 2 tablespoons of Vino Cotto, and the remaining cranberries. Bring to a boil and then turn down to low. Cook for ½ hour and then turn down to low.
   
   
10. Add the butter to the saucepan, mixing through while whisking. Slowly add the flour while whisking until it thickens. Season with salt and pepper and set aside.
    
    
11. Once the chicken is done, remove it from the oven and let it rest for at least 15 minutes. Add any oil or juices from the chicken tray to the gravy for extra flavour.
    
    
12. Serve the chicken on a platter with roasted parsnips and chicken cranberry gravy.