Stuffed chicken thighs with kumara and spinach

Name: Stuffed chicken thighs with kumara and spinach
Yield: 8
Ingredients: 1 ½ cups Breadcrumbs, fresh, made by blitzing stale bread in the food processor; ½ cup Bacon, 2cm diced, chemical-free; 2 Tbsp Chopped parsley; 2 Garlic cloves, finely chopped; ½ tsp Tarragon, dried; 1 Lemon, use the zest only; 3 Tbsp Yoghurt, plain unsweetened additive-free (I use the Gopala brand from the supermarket, great product and price); 1 kg Chicken thigh, (16 smallish) free range, skinned, boneless, opened up flat and gently beaten to a uniform thickness (Main); 3 Purple kumara, about 850g, peeled, cut into 3cm chunks (Main); ½ cup White wine; 750 ml Chicken stock; 2 handfuls Baby spinach (Main); 2 Tbsp Cornflour, dissolved in 3 Tbsp cold water

for 8 people

Tam West

Ray McVinnie

Chef and food writer

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Some of the stuffing will seep out, helping create something like a bread sauce.

Ingredients

1 ½ cups	Breadcrumbs, fresh, made by blitzing stale bread in the food processor
½ cup	Bacon, 2cm diced, chemical-free
2 Tbsp	Chopped parsley
2	Garlic cloves, finely chopped
½ tsp	Tarragon, dried
1	Lemon, use the zest only
3 Tbsp	Yoghurt, plain unsweetened additive-free (I use the Gopala brand from the supermarket, great product and price)
1 kg	Chicken thigh, (16 smallish) free range, skinned, boneless, opened up flat and gently beaten to a uniform thickness (Main)
3	Purple kumara, about 850g, peeled, cut into 3cm chunks (Main)
½ cup	White wine
750 ml	Chicken stock
2 handfuls	Baby spinach (Main)
2 Tbsp	Cornflour, dissolved in 3 Tbsp cold water

Directions

Heat the oven to 200C.
Put the breadcrumbs, bacon, parsley, garlic, tarragon, zest and yoghurt into a mixing bowl, season (the bacon may be salty so don't add too much salt) and mix well. This is the stuffing,
To stuff one chicken thigh — place the thigh, former skin side down, on a clean surface. Put about 2 Tbsp of the stuffing at one of the short sides and roll over. Place in an ovenproof dish with the open side of the roll underneath. Repeat for the remaining rolls, placing them in side by side.
Put the kumara chunks into between. Pour the wine and stock over the top. Place in the oven for 1 hour or until the kumara is tender and browned. Baste frequently. If they get too brown, cover with foil.
Remove from the oven and put the rolls and kumara on a warm serving platter.
Pour the cooking liquid into the saucepan and bring to the boil. Add the spinach, mix well, so it wilts. Stir in enough of the cornflour mix (mix it first, it clumps) to thicken lightly. Taste and season. Pour over the rolls and serve. Good with steamed rice.