Chicken Stuffed with ‘Nduja Rice

Good Pair Days (Roos Michels) -
  • 4 tbsp olive oil
  • 1 diced red onion
  • 5 crushed garlic cloves
  • 1.5 tsp cumin
  • 1 tsp chilli flakes
  • ½ tsp smoked paprika
  • 40g nduja or chorizo
  • 130g wholemeal long-grain rice
  • 60g butter
  • 1 lemon, zest only
  • 1 chicken, about 1.5kg
  • Heat half the oil in a saucepan and soften the onion for 10 mins. Stir in 3 crushed garlic cloves, the chilli flakes, 1 tsp of cumin, the smoked paprika, and ½ tsp of black pepper, along with the nduja, breaking it up as you go. Cook for 5 mins, then stir in the rice and pour in 250ml of water. Cook until al dente, then remove from the heat and set aside.
  • Heat the oven to 200C. Mix the butter with the lemon zest, the rest of the garlic, and a pinch of salt. Loosen the chicken’s breast skin with your fingers, and loosen the skin above the legs, too. Gently push in the garlic butter as far as it will go, then stuff the cavity with the nduja rice mixture. Tie the legs, rub the skin with salt and oil, and roast for 65 mins or until cooked. Rest for 10 mins, then carve and serve with greens.
1 hr 15 mins
6 serving