Ingredients

Method

• 100 g butter
• 1 red onion, finely chopped
• 2 cloves garlic, chopped
• 250 g Woolworths traditional or extra-spicy hot cross buns, roughly torn
• ⅓ cup chicken stock
• 1 t thyme, chopped
• 70 g walnuts, chopped
• ⅓ cup dried figs, chopped
• 1 free-range chicken
• 2 T olive oil, for drizzling
• 20 g butter, melted, for basting
• 2 T honey, for basting
• 8 figs, havled (optional)

Method

Ingredients

1. Preheat to the oven to 180°C.
2. To make the stuffing, melt 100 g butter in a pan. Add the finely chopped red onion and chopped cloves garlic and soften over a low heat for 5 minutes. Roughly tear the Woolworths traditional or extra-spicy hot cross buns and toast in a dry pan until golden. Add to the first pan with ⅓ cup chicken stock, chopped thyme, walnuts and dried figs. Season and combine. Stuff into the cavity of the free-range chicken and tie the legs together with string.
3. Drizzle the chicken with olive oil. Place in a roasting pan with butter and roast for 1 1⁄2 – 2 hours. Add a little water to the bottom of the pan to prevent the chicken from drying out. After 1 hour, baste the chicken with 20 g melted butter and 2 T honey. Add halved figs to the roasting tray for the last 10 minutes of cooking time if you like. Serve with creamed cauliflower.

Cook's note: Take a traditional hot cross bun, toast it, spread with lashings of good butter and add a drizzle of honey. Enjoy with a cup of strong coffee. Repeat. And if you’re a non-purist (we all like to experiment a little), make this hot cross bun-stuffed roast chicken, or a hot cross bun “bread-and-butter” pudding with your favourite version from Woolies’ wide selection: chocolate, apricot and white chocolate, extra spicy, fruit free ... they’ve got your craving covered.

Discover more roast chicken recipes here.