Saffron and goat cheese stuffed chicken

I believe I'm getting pretty nifty at jointing a chicken these days. Not only can I reap the benefits of now having a snazzy pink knife that's very sharp, but also find the job easier if you actually twist and pull the leg to expose the thigh bone and then cut around it, instead of through it which blunts any snazzy pink knife you may own. 

Last Saturday we bought an organic chicken for $22 from Safeway only to bring it home and discover the most disgusting smell upon opening. Looking at the 'sell by' date, we realised that they had sold us a chicken out of date by 2 days. Luckily I kept the receipt and we returned it. With my head encumbered with thoughts of free groceries, gift vouchers, maybe some air miles, I was disappointed to receive a refund without as much as an apologetic smile. Is this how it's always been?


I seem to remember stories of people returning items in the UK and being given empty carts to fill as a sort of 'supermarket dash' compensation. (Okay, I admit these kinds of stories may have a tendency towards exaggeration, especially when told late at night in a pub), but surely some sort of apology or free item for goodwill would be a nice gesture. I remember Neil and I finding a tapeworm in a piece of cod once and were told it's quite common upon returning it. We didn't buy any more fish from that supermarket thereafter, so maybe it's not such a great marketing strategy to tell the customers the whole truth. In ASDA in the UK, if they overcharge you for an item, they not only refund you the amount but give you a gift voucher for the same amount as goodwill, I would be interested to hear if any such gesture is made here as well as the British law that if an item of any description is marked with the wrong price, it has to be sold to you at that price. I don't think Canada has this law, which is a shame because as a customer it's nice to feel respected and appreciated from time to time.

Anyway, I bought another chicken which was not out of date, jointed it and stuffed the breasts with some goat cheese mixed with saffron and Pernod butter.

I took off the skin to stuff the chicken and was going to fry it or crisp it in the microwave but decided to re-wrap half the chicken with the skin and use some Prosciutto for the other half.

I buy this butter from an amazing shop on Granville Island called 'The stock exchange' where they make their own butters, dressings, stocks, soups etc. One day I was there I was really excited to see a vendor from the adjoining butcher stand wheeling over a trolley of chicken carcasses left from jointing their chickens. I guessed that the carcasses would be used for making the stocks they sell frozen in bags. It was really interesting to see how the market co-operates with each other and made me realise how much I would love to be a part of an environment like that. I wonder what the butcher stand gets in exchange?

I'll admit it. Sometimes I buy things because I know they'll look good in the fridge. How sad, pathetic and expensive as this goats cheese cost $9.99. I have been to the farm on Salt Spring Island where they produce this and took the tour of their facilities, so I tell myself I have some connection with this company so in some sort of half arsed way, it's okay.

Yes, very beautiful. Does it taste good? Yes, if you're really into goats cheese I suppose it's excellent, creamy, fresh and salty.

See comments above.

I maybe could have left the butter harden a little before stuffing the breast.

As you can see, after stuffing the chicken, I wrapped half with Prosciutto and half with the chicken skin.

Recipe: Chicken stuffed with saffron butter and goats cheese

2 chicken breasts with skin (or without if you want to use all Prosciutto)

1 tbsp saffron and Pernod butter (or butter softened with some of your own favourite herbs and spices added)

2 tbsp goats cheese

salt 

pepper

2 or 4 pieces Prosciutto

Olive oil

1 bunch small carrots

4 cherry tomatoes

1/4 cup Marsala

2 tbsp sour cream

Take the skin off the chicken and either discard or keep for wrapping the chicken or frying until crispy as a garnish.

Make two slits in the chicken 3/4 way down and season with salt and pepper.

Melt the butter in a saucepan or microwave until soft and mix together with the cheese.

Stuff this mixture into the chicken slits and wrap the chicken either with the 4 slices of Prosciutto or 2 slices of Prosciutto on half of the breast and the remaining chicken skin on the other half.

Drizzle with oil and place on a baking sheet with the tomatoes and carrots, also drizzled with oil.

Bake at 375oF for about 35 minutes until the juices are clear. Remove from pan, wrap on foil and let rest while you make the sauce.

Add 1 tbsp Marsala to the pan with the chicken juices and scrape well to deglaze. Tip this into a saucepan or keep the pan on the heat if it is able to be used on the hob. Add the rest of the Marsala and cream and boil over low - medium heat until sweet and thickened. 

Carve the chicken into thick slices and serve with the vegetables and sauce.