Mushroom and lemon thyme stuffed chicken pillow

Ingredients

• Mushroom and Lemon Thyme Stuffed Chicken Pillow
• 1 whole Lilydale Chicken, deboned
• 600g (21 oz) mushrooms of your choice, diced
• 3 shallots, finely diced
• 4 cloves of garlic, finely diced
• 10 sprigs of lemon thyme, leaves picked and finely chopped
• 3 tbsp(45ml) of olive oil
• 50g (1.8 oz) of butter
• 30g (1 oz) panko breadcrumbs
• salt and pepper, to taste
• Pearl Barley Risotto with Kale
• 1 brown onion, finely diced
• 1 carrot, finely diced
• 1 stick of celery, finely diced
• 3 tbsp (45ml) olive oil
• 150g (5.3 oz) pearl barley
• 1L chicken stock
• 8 sprigs of lemon thyme
• 2 bay leaves
• half a bunch of kale, finely chopped

Directions

1. Mushroom and Lemon Thyme Stuffed Chicken Pillow
2. In a frying pan over medium-high heat, melt half the butter and add 2 tablespoons of olive oil. Once hot, add the shallots and mushrooms with a generous pinch of salt, and sauté for 3-4 minutes.
3. Stir in the lemon thyme and garlic along with the remaining butter. Mix well, then add the breadcrumbs. Season with salt and freshly ground black pepper. Remove from the pan and refrigerate to cool completely before stuffing the chicken.
4. Preheat the oven to 375°F (190°C) on fan setting.
5. Once the stuffing is cold, open the chicken out flat and place the stuffing down the centre and out to the sides. Fold all the sides towards the centre, flip the chicken over, and tie it together securely with kitchen twine in four places.
6. Place the chicken in a roasting dish with a little olive oil in the bottom. Drizzle more olive oil over the top and roast for 45-55 minutes until the chicken is golden brown and cooked through. Let it rest for 15 minutes before carving.
7. Pearl Barley Risotto with Kale
8. In a large pan over medium-high heat, add the olive oil, onions, and carrots with a generous pinch of salt. Sauté for 4 minutes, then add the celery and cook for 1 more minute.
9. Add the pearl barley, stir well, and toast for 3-4 minutes before adding the chicken stock, thyme, and bay leaves. Stir well and simmer for 45 minutes, stirring every 5-6 minutes to prevent sticking.
10. If the barley absorbs all the liquid before it's fully cooked, add more stock or water as needed.
11. 6 minutes before the risotto is done, stir in the chopped kale. If you have rendered chicken fat from a roasted chicken, you can add it in the last 2 minutes for extra flavour; alternatively, add a small knob of butter.