Ashanti Chicken (Whole Deboned Chicken Stuffed With Jollof Rice)

Deboning a whole chicken is an art. And it's useful for delicious recipes like Ashanti chicken. A whole deboned chicken stuffed with jollof rice, roasted to juicy tenderness, and paired with a delectable gravy.

Course Main

Cuisine African

Prep Time 1

Cook Time 2

Resting Time 10

Total Time 3 10

Servings

Calories 770kcal

Author Imma

Ingredients

Jollof Rice

1 medium onion, diced
1 14-ounce can tomato sauce
1-2 tablespoons (15-30ml) cooking oil
3 cups (585g) rice (I used basmati)
2 teaspoons (5-6g) chicken bouillon
2 teaspoons (10g) salt
1 tablespoon (7g) paprika
1 tablespoon (10g) garlic powder
3½ cups (830ml) chicken broth or water
1 teaspoon (2g) white pepper
½ teaspoon (1g) dried thyme (optional)
1 scotch bonnet pepper or ¾ teaspoon cayenne (omit if cooking for kids)
1 pound (450g) vegetables

Chicken & Spice Rub

3½-4 pound (1.5-2k) whole chicken, deboned
1 tablespoon (6g) thyme
1¼ teaspoon (6g) salt
1½ tablespoon (15g) onion powder
1½ tablespoon (21g) garlic powder
1 teaspoon (2g) smoked paprika
1 teaspoon (2g) white pepper
½ teaspoon (1g) cayenne pepper
1 teaspoon (3-4g) bouillon powder (or replace with salt)

Gravy With Drippings

¼ cup (60ml) drippings from roast chicken
2-3 tablespoons (15-23g) all-purpose flour
2 cups (475ml) or more chicken stock
chicken bouillon powder to taste (optional)
salt and pepper to taste

Instructions

Jollof Rice

Preheat oven to 350℉ (190℃). Rinse rice thoroughly with water.
In a half-sheet pan (13"x18"), combine all the jollof rice ingredients and stir well. Cover tightly with aluminum foil.
Gently place it in the oven and cook for about an hour.
Remove from the oven and let it rest for about 5 minutes. Then remove the aluminum foil, being careful not to burn yourself on the steam. Fluff the rice using a fork and mix it evenly. Stuff the deboned chicken.

Ashanti Chicken

Preheat the oven to 375℉ (190℃).
Pat the deboned chicken dry inside and out with paper towels. Season it with salt.
Mix the thyme, salt, onion powder, garlic powder, smoked paprika, white pepper, cayenne, and bouillon powder (or more salt) in a small bowl. Mix with a tablespoon or two of oil.
Generously brush the spice mixture in the inner cavities of the chicken.
Stuff the chicken with jollof rice, but go easy with the rice. However, you want to stuff the legs well.
You can either sew the chicken or wrap it. I used two turkey trussing needles to keep the skin in place. I've stuffed it without trussing, and it works okay.
Tie the chicken so it stays intact. Start at one end, tucking in any loose ends underneath the chicken. Position your first knot to keep these loose ends tucked. Tying the knots on the underside roughly an inch apart is much easier.
After tying the knots, stretch the string down the length of the chicken and hold it in place with your thumb. Loop the string around the chicken. Lift the piece you're holding under your thumb and tie another knot. The underside of the chicken will look like a chain of knots.
Generously season the outside of the chicken with more of the spice mixture. Place the chicken in a roasting pan and bake in a preheated 375℉ (190℃) oven for about 50 minutes, then uncover and cook an additional 15-30 minutes.
Remove from the oven and let it rest for 30 minutes. While it rests, make the gravy.

Gravy

Heat the drippings in a saucepan or skillet over medium-high heat. Gently whisk in the flour to make a roux. Stir it for a minute or two to remove the flour's raw taste and get a nutty aroma.
Gradually add about a ¼ cup of chicken stock while whisking. Stir until the mixture is thick and somewhat smooth. Then, add the remaining liquid and adjust the thickness to your preference (remember it thickens as it cools). Adjust seasoning with bouillon, salt, and pepper.
Slice the stuffed chicken and serve it with the gravy.

Notes

A good boning knife with a longish (5-7 inches), slender blade is essential for easy deboning. A fillet knife and kitchen shears are a close second if you don't have a boning knife.
Be careful when deboning the chicken so it stays intact.
If you have a roasting pan, that's great! But if not, place the chicken on top of a wire rack and baking sheet to collect the dripping.
Please don't waste the bones because they make an incredible stock—just bones and water simmering for several hours. You can add other stuff or try out my homemade chicken stock recipe.
Please remember that the nutritional information is a rough estimate and can vary significantly based on the products used in the recipe.

Nutrition