Roast chicken with apple stuffing

Tam West

Apple stuffing

3	Apples, granny smith or ballarat, peeled cored and sliced (Main)
1 knob	Butter
1 tsp	Brown sugar
¾ cup	Pitted prunes, roughly chopped
2 Tbsp	Rolled oats

Chicken

1 ½ kgs	Chicken (Main)
1 drizzle	Olive oil, for rubbing
1	Lemon, juiced

Directions

1. Place apples in a medium-sized saucepan with the butter and brown sugar. Cover and place over a low heat. Cook down to a rough puree. Stir through the prunes and oats, and leave until cold.
2. Heat the oven to 190C. Pat chicken dry with kitchen paper and place in a roasting dish. Stuff the apple mixture into its cavity. Rub a little olive oil over the skin then squeeze over lemon juice. Using a skewer or toothpick, secure the cavity opening then pull the chicken legs together and tie them together with a piece of cooking twine.
3. Place chicken in the oven and roast for 1 hour and 15 minutes. Baste chicken with the juices once or twice. To test if chicken is cooked, insert a skewer into the thickest part of the legs — the juices should run clear.

Added flavour

• Mix together 50g softened butter and about 2 tablespoons finely chopped parsley. Carefully slide your hand under the skin of the chicken to loosen it (without splitting skin) then spread mixture under the skin before roasting.