'Nduja stuffed chicken with romesco sauce and flatbreads
If you don't want a traditonal Sunday lunch on warmer days, try this spicy twist on roast chicken.
Ingredients
For the 'nduja paste
- 1 tbsp rapeseed oil
- 50²µ/1¾´Ç³ú 'nduja
- 1 shallot, finely chopped
- 2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
- 1 tbsp tomato purée
- 50²µ/1¾´Ç³ú runny honey
- 1 tbsp sherry vinegar
- 80ml /2½fl oz rapeseed oil
For the chicken and romesco sauce
- 1 medium free-range range chicken
- 400g/14oz Tenderstem broccoli
- 1 tbsp rapeseed oil
- 2 red peppers, thickly sliced
- 100²µ/3½´Ç³ú almonds
- 400g tin chopped tomatoes
- sherry vinegar, to taste
- sea salt
For the flatbreads
- 250g/9oz self-raising flour
- 25g/1oz plain yoghurt
- 1 tsp salt
- 100ml/3½fl oz lukewarm water
To serve
- 2 tbsp flatleaf parsley leaves
- 4 spring onions, chopped
Method
To make the 'nduja paste, put the rapeseed oil in a pan and fry the 'nduja over a medium-high heat until caramelised. Reduce the heat and add the shallot, garlic and tomato purée and cook until the vegetables are softened. Allow to cool slightly.
Transfer to a blender or food processor with the honey, sherry vinegar and remaining rapeseed oil and blend until smooth. Spoon the paste into a piping bag, or sandwich bag with the corner snipped off, and set aside.
Preheat the oven to 220C/200C Fan/Gas 7.
For the chicken, gently slide your hands under the skin, loosening it from the flesh. Pipe two thirds of the 'nduja paste under the skin and smooth out so it’s evenly distributed. Reserve the remaining mix to glaze the chicken later.
Drizzle the outside of the bird with the oil, and sprinkle generously with sea salt. Scatter the almonds and peppers in a deep roasting tin, place the chicken on top and roast for 40 minutes.
Meanwhile, to make the flatbreads, put the flour, salt and yoghurt into a mixing bowl and slowly add the water to make a soft, slightly sticky dough. Turn out onto a lightly floured work surface and knead for 5 minutes, or until smooth and elastic. Put back in the bowl, cover with cling film and leave to rest for about an hour.
Remove the chicken from the oven, reduce the temperature to 190C/170C Fan/Gas 5. Brush the chicken with the remaining 'nduja paste and return to the oven for 15– 20 minutes until cooked through and the juices run clear.
Remove the chicken from the tray and leave to rest for 15 minutes, covered, before carving.
Put the broccoli onto a baking tray and roast in the oven for 10–15 minutes.
Pour the nuts, pepper and all the chicken juices into a hot pan, add the chopped tomatoes and cook for a few minutes until thickened. Transfer to a blender and blitz to a rough sauce. Season with salt and sherry vinegar.
Once the flatbread dough has rested, tear into four even-sized balls, lightly dust the surface with flour and roll into evenly sized circles, about as thick as a pound coin.
Place a frying pan on a medium heat, add the flatbread and gently cook until evenly coloured on both sides. They will start to bubble and rise slightly as they cook.
To serve, generously cover the flatbread with the romesco sauce. Remove one of the breasts from the chicken and thickly slice, place on top. Scatter over the parsley leaves and spring onions and serve straight away.
