Ingredients
- free-range chicken 1, about 1.4 kg (The Empress uses Devonshire Bronze)
- butter softened
- lemon a squeeze of juice
sage and chestnut stuffing
- onion 1, finely chopped
- thyme leaves picked and chopped to make 1 tsp
- sage chopped to make 1 tsp
- butter 50g
- cooked peeled chestnuts 100g, chopped
- chicken stock fresh, cube or concentrate made up to 75ml
- fresh breadcrumbs a couple of handfuls
bread sauce
- milk 300ml
- thyme 1 sprig
- bay leaves 2
- white peppercorns 6
- cloves 6
- onion ¼
- carrot ½
- nutmeg freshly grated, a pinch
- fresh breadcrumbs 100g
- double cream a dash
Method
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Step 1
To make the stuffing, gently cook the onion, thyme and sage in the butter until soft but not coloured. Add the chestnuts and cook for another 2 minutes. Add the chicken stock and bring to a simmer. Add enough breadcrumbs for the mixture to bind together and become thick. Cool and set in the fridge for 30 minutes.
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Step 2
Heat the oven to 200c/fan 180c/gas 6. Stuff the chicken under the skin at the neck, using string or cocktail sticks to keep it in place. Rub soft butter all over and give it a squeeze of lemon juice. Put on a rack over a roasting tray containing a little water and cook for 20 minutes. Reduce the temperature to 180c/fan 160c/gas 4 and cook for a further 40 minutes or until the juices run clear when the thigh is pierced with a skewer. Rest the chicken under foil for 20 minutes.
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Step 3
To make the bread sauce, put the milk in a pan with all the ingredients except the breadcrumbs and cream. Leave on a low heat to infuse for 20 minutes, then sieve. About 5 minutes before you serve the chicken, bring the milk to a simmer and whisk in the fresh breadcrumbs until the sauce thickens, then add a dash of cream to give a smooth texture.
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Step 4
Serve the chicken, stuffing and sauce with your favourite vegetables. The Empress serves this with braised red cabbage, cauliflower cheese, roast potatoes and pigs in blankets.
