ESSENTIAL RECIPES- CHICKEN
Line a roasting dish with baking paper.
2. Pat the chicken dry with paper towels, and season all over with salt and pepper, including inside the cavity.
3. In a small bowl, mix together the oil, barbecue sauce, barbecue spice, crushed garlic, paprika, chicken spice, and onion powder. Stir until well combined, then rub the spice mixture all over the chicken and inside the cavity. Set the seasoned chicken aside while you prepare the stuffing.
4. To prepare the stuffing, melt the butter in a large pan over medium-high heat. Add the mushrooms and onion and sauté for 5 – 6 minutes, or until the onion becomes translucent. Stir in the onion marmalade and thyme, then season with salt and pepper to taste. Cook for 3 – 4 minutes, stirring frequently, until the mushrooms are just slightly softened.
5. Spoon the mixture into the chicken cavity and tie the chicken legs with kitchen twine.
6. Place the chicken breastside up in the prepared roasting dish. Roast for 1 hour and 20 minutes, then increase the temperature to 190 ° C and roast the chicken for an additional 15 – 20 minutes, basting frequently with the juices during the last 15 – 20 minutes, until the chicken is golden brown and cooked through.
7. Remove the stuffed chicken from the oven and leave to rest for about 10 minutes before carving and serving.
THAI PEANUT CHICKEN RAMEN WITH AVO
By South African Avocado Growers’ Association( SAAGA) @ iloveavossa
Serves: 4
INGREDIENTS
• 4 cups chicken stock
• 400g tin coconut milk
• ¼ cup soy sauce
• 2 tablespoons peanut butter
• 70g packet Thai yellow curry paste
• 4 chicken breasts
• 1 spring onion, thinly sliced, plus extra for topping
• 2 x 50g packets ramen or 2-min noodles( without spice)
• juice of 1 lime, plus extra cheeks for serving
• 2 handfuls baby spinach
• handful coriander, chopped, plus extra for topping
• ¼ cup roasted & salted peanuts
• 1 avocado, halved
• salt & pepper
METHOD
1. Heat the stock, coconut milk, soy sauce, peanut butter, curry paste, chicken, and spring onion over medium heat. Simmer for about 15 minutes or until the chicken is cooked through. Shred the chicken using 2 forks.
2. Return the chicken to the soup and bring to a boil over high heat. Stir in the noodles, lime juice, spinach, and coriander. Cook for about 3 minutes or until the noodles are tender.
3. Divide the mixture into four bowls and top each with peanuts, extra spring onions, extra coriander, and lime cheeks. Remove the skins and pip from the avocado. Thinly slice it across the width, then divide between the bowls; season with salt and pepper.
essentialflavours. co. za • Autumn 2026 | 67