Name: Roast Chicken with Apricot Stuffing
Prep time: 30 min
Cook time: 105 min
Total time: 135 min
Yield: 6 people
Cuisine: South African
Ingredients: 1 whole chicken, about 1.8 kg, giblets removed; 20 ml olive oil; 15 g butter, softened; 5 ml fine salt; 2.5 ml freshly ground black pepper; 1 lemon, finely zested for the stuffing, then quartered; 4 fresh thyme sprigs; 125 ml water; 100 g soft dried apricots, chopped; 150 ml hot low-salt chicken stock; 30 g butter, plus a little for greasing; 1 medium onion, finely chopped; 1 celery stalk, finely chopped; 2 garlic cloves, finely chopped; 200 g day-old white bread, cut into 1 cm cubes; 15 ml fresh thyme leaves; 30 ml chopped fresh parsley; Finely grated zest of the lemon listed above; 1 large egg, lightly beaten; 1.25 ml fine salt; 1.25 ml freshly ground black pepper

Roast Chicken with Apricot Stuffing

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135 min totalPrep: 30 minCook: 105 min Serves 6 people Main Course

roast chicken with apricot stuffing recipe photo

This Roast Chicken with Apricot Stuffing recipe brings a familiar Christmas roast to the table without needing a turkey-sized oven. Soft dried apricots give the bread stuffing little pockets of sweetness, balanced by onion, thyme and lemon zest. It is a simple combination that works beautifully with the chicken’s savoury juices.

For a hot South African Christmas, serve it with a crunchy green salad and green beans dressed with lemon rather than several heavy sides. The stuffing bakes in its own dish beside the chicken, so it gets a crisp top and is easier to cook safely. Get the chopping done in the cool of the morning, then roast the chicken close to lunchtime.

Instructions

1
Heat the oven to 190°C conventional or 170°C fan. Position a shelf so the chicken and stuffing dish can fit side by side. Grease a shallow baking dish of about 1 litre capacity.
2
Put the chopped apricots in a bowl, pour over the hot stock and leave to soak for 10 minutes. Meanwhile, melt the 30 g butter in a frying pan over medium heat. Cook the onion and celery for 8–10 minutes until softened, then add the garlic and cook for 1 minute. Remove from the heat and leave to cool for 5 minutes.
3
Mix the bread, softened vegetables, apricots and their soaking stock, thyme leaves, parsley and lemon zest. Stir in the beaten egg, salt and pepper. The bread should be damp throughout but not swimming in liquid. Spoon loosely into the prepared dish, cover and refrigerate until needed.
4
Pat the chicken dry with kitchen paper; do not rinse it. Rub all over with the olive oil and softened butter, then season with the salt and pepper. Put two lemon quarters and the thyme sprigs loosely inside the cavity, leaving room for heat to circulate. Keep the remaining lemon quarters for serving.
5
Place the chicken breast-side up in a roasting tin and pour the water into the tin, not over the skin. Roast for 50 minutes. Add a splash of water if the tin starts to dry out, and loosely cover the breast with foil if it is browning too quickly.
6
After those 50 minutes, put the stuffing dish in the oven, covered with foil. Bake it for 25 minutes, then uncover and bake for another 20–25 minutes until golden on top and at least 74°C in the centre.
7
Start checking the chicken after 90 minutes of total roasting time; a 1.8 kg bird will usually take 90–105 minutes. It is ready when a food thermometer reads at least 74°C in the thickest part of the breast and innermost thigh, without touching bone. Continue roasting if either reading is lower.
8
Transfer the cooked chicken to a board, cover loosely with foil and rest for 15 minutes. If the stuffing needs longer, leave it in the oven until its centre reaches 74°C. Spoon off excess fat from the roasting tin and reserve the hot pan juices for serving.
9
Carve the chicken and serve with the apricot stuffing, reserved lemon quarters and a little of the pan juices. Add crisp salads or lightly cooked green vegetables for a lighter Christmas plate.

Nutrition (per serving)

Calories: 570 kcal
Carbohydrates: 32 g
Protein: 45 g
Fat: 29 g
Saturated fat: 10 g
Sugar: 12 g
Fibre: 3 g
Sodium: 820 mg
Cholesterol: 190 mg

Estimated values based on the ingredients used.

Notes

Christmas tips

Chop the onion, celery and apricots the evening before and refrigerate in covered containers. Assemble the stuffing on the day and keep chilled until baking.
Baking the stuffing separately gives it a crisp top and avoids waiting for a densely stuffed chicken cavity to cook through.
Keep the rest of a summer Christmas lunch simple: a tomato salad, green beans and chilled sparkling water with lemon are plenty alongside this roast.
Refrigerate leftovers in shallow containers within 2 hours of cooking, or within 1 hour if the temperature is above 32°C. Use within 3–4 days and reheat hot portions to 74°C.

Frequently asked questions

Can I put the apricot stuffing inside the chicken?

This recipe is timed for stuffing baked separately. Filling the cavity changes the cooking time, and the centre of any stuffing inside a chicken must also reach 74°C. For more predictable results, use the separate baking dish.

What if my dried apricots are quite hard?

Soak them in the hot stock for 20–30 minutes rather than 10 minutes. They should be soft enough to bite through easily before you mix them with the bread.

Can I use a larger chicken?

Yes, but allow more roasting time and use a thermometer rather than relying on the clock. Add the stuffing dish roughly 50 minutes before you expect the chicken to finish, and check both separately for doneness.

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Main Dishes

Roast Chicken with Apricot Stuffing

Ingredients

For the chicken

For the apricot stuffing