Roast Chicken with Stuffed Swiss Chard & Roasted Garlic Yoghurt

I was heavily inspired by @almostturkishrecipes for the stuffed swiss chard, it was delicious! 

Ingredients, Serves 4 

1 small whole chicken, room temp

1 tsp turmeric, 2 tsp smoked paprika, 1 ½  tsp oregano, 1tsp salt 

300ml chicken stock 

6 cloves garlic

1 lemon 

For the Swiss Chard 

2 bunch (18-20 leaves) green chard

1 cup short grain rice (I used risotto), washed 

200g feta, cumbled 

1 big onion, grated

¼ cup fresh mint, finely chopped 

1-2 tsp red pepper flakes

1 tsp black pepper

Yoghurt Sauce

Use the roasted garlic (approx. 3-4 cloves skin removed) and the lemon juice(about ½) and  combine with greek yoghurt. 


Method

  1. Set oven to 200C. Clean swiss chard. Then bring a large wide pan filled with water to the boil. Steep the swiss chard, in small bunches at a time, in the water for about 1 minute or until softened and then place them straight into a bowl filled with cold water and ice. Once cooled, move to a board and dry with a towel. 

  2. To stuff the swiss chard: place a chard leaf on a chopping board  and remove the thick part of the stem. (save the stems for the bottom of the roasting tray)

  3. Now add some stuffing to the TOP of the leaf (about 1-3 tbsp depending on size of the leaf) roll like a cigar. Fold the sides of the leaf over the stuffing and then roll the top of the leaf down

  4. Scatter the stems in the bottom of the tray and then place the rolls side by side around the edges of an oven proof dish. I used a clay dish. 

  5. Place your chicken in the centre of the tray (it doesn't matter if it’s covering 1 or two of the cigars). Top with the spices and then drizzle with about 1 tsp oil and rub the spices all over the chicken. Place the lemon inside the chicken and scatter the garlic around the tray. 

  6. Pour chicken stock over the stuffed chard and drizzle everything with a little oil 

  7. Cook for 50-60 mins until the chicken is fully cooked. 

  8. Let the chicken rest for 5 minutes and then carve. Start by spooning the garlic yoghurt, top with some stuffed chard, slices of chicken and finish with a good spoonful of that yummy sauce.