Indian-Style Stuffed Roast Chicken

By
Petrina Verma Sarkar
Petrina Verma Sarkar
Food writer Petrina Verma Sarkar is a native of India with extensive knowledge of the country's regional cuisines.
Learn about The Spruce Eats' Editorial Process
Updated on 07/11/21
Indian-Style Stuffed Roast Chicken

The Spruce / Christine Ma

Prep: 3 hrs 5 mins
Cook: 100 mins
Total: 4 hrs 45 mins
Servings: 5 to 8 servings
Nutrition Facts (per serving)
729 Calories
44g Fat
17g Carbs
64g Protein
Show Full Nutrition Label Hide Full Nutrition Label
×
Nutrition Facts
Servings: 5 to 8
Amount per serving
Calories 729
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 44g 56%
Saturated Fat 10g 52%
Cholesterol 197mg 66%
Sodium 506mg 22%
Total Carbohydrate 17g 6%
Dietary Fiber 3g 11%
Total Sugars 4g
Protein 64g
Vitamin C 13mg 67%
Calcium 84mg 6%
Iron 5mg 28%
Potassium 951mg 20%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
(Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.)

Stuffing a roast chicken is a Western thing, but this recipe for Indian-style stuffed roast chicken will leave you wishing you would have always prepared it this way.

Savory spices are paired with sour flavors for a chicken experience that is far from boring. Serve this with lachcha paratha, a flaky, layered Indian flatbread, and enjoy.

Ingredients

  • 1 whole chicken, roughly 3.3 pounds (1.5 kilograms)

  • 3 tablespoons vegetable oil, canola oil, or sunflower oil, to drizzle on chicken when roasting

For the Marinade:

  • 2 tablespoons unsweetened yogurt

  • 2 tablespoons lime juice, or lemon juice

  • 2 teaspoons garlic paste

  • 1 teaspoon ginger paste

  • 1/2 teaspoon red chili powder

  • 1/2 teaspoon turmeric powder

  • 1/2 teaspoon salt

For the Filling:

  • 3 tablespoons vegetable oil, canola oil, or sunflower oil

  • 3/4 teaspoon cumin seeds

  • 2 medium onions, chopped fine

  • 2 teaspoons garlic paste

  • 1 teaspoon ginger paste

  • 10 ounces (300 grams) ground beef, or lamb

  • 1 tablespoon ground coriander

  • 1 teaspoon ground cumin

  • 1 tablespoon garam masala

  • Salt, to taste

  • 2 medium tomatoes, chopped fine

  • 1 cup fresh or frozen peas

  • 1 large potato, peeled and cut into 1-inch cubes

  • 1 teaspoon lime juice, or lemon juice

  • 1/4 cup fresh coriander leaves, chopped

Steps to Make It

Prepare the Chicken and Marinade

  1. Gather the ingredients.

    Indian-Style Stuffed Roast Chicken ingredients

    The Spruce / Christine Ma

  2. Pat chicken dry.

    chicken in a bowl

    The Spruce / Christine Ma

  3. In a large, deep bowl, mix together yogurt, 2 tablespoons lime juice, 2 teaspoons garlic paste, 1 teaspoon ginger paste, chili powder, turmeric, and salt. 

    mix together yogurt, lime juice, garlic paste, ginger paste, chili powder, turmeric, and salt in a bowl

    The Spruce / Christine Ma

  4. Place the whole chicken into this marinade and coat it well. Cover the dish with plastic wrap and marinate for 2 to 3 hours in the refrigerator.

    chicken covered with marinade in a bowl

    The Spruce / Christine Ma

Make the Filling

  1. Gather the filling ingredients.

    filling ingredients

    The Spruce / Christine Ma

  2. Heat 3 tablespoons oil in a wok or deep pan on medium heat.

    oil in a wok

    The Spruce / Christine Ma

  3. Add the cumin seeds and fry for 1 minute. Add the onions and fry until they turn a pale golden color.

    onions and cumin in a wok

    The Spruce / Christine Ma

  4. Add 2 teaspoons garlic paste and 1 teaspoon ginger paste and fry for 1 minute.

    garlic and ginger paste added to the onion mixture in the wok

    The Spruce / Christine Ma

  5. Add the ground meat, ground coriander, cumin, garam masala, and salt to taste.

    ground meat, ground coriander, cumin, garam masala, and salt added to the onion in the wok

    The Spruce / Christine Ma

  6. Continue to brown the ground meat, stirring often to prevent burning. This should take about 5 to 7 minutes.

    meat mixture in the wok

    The Spruce / Christine Ma

  7. Add the tomatoes, peas, and potatoes and stir and cook until the potatoes are soft.

    tomatoes, peas, and potatoes with the meat mixture in the wok

    The Spruce / Christine Ma

  8. Turn the heat off and add the lime juice and chopped coriander leaves. Mix well.

    filling in a wok

    The Spruce / Christine Ma

Cook the Chicken

  1. Remove the marinated chicken from the refrigerator and fill the stomach cavity with the minced meat stuffing. Try to get all the stuffing in if possible.

    chicken filled with the meat and vegetable filling in a bowl

    The Spruce / Christine Ma

  2. Put in a baking/roasting dish and drizzle all over with ​cooking oil.

    chicken with filling in a baking dish

    The Spruce / Christine Ma

  3. Roast the chicken, uncovered for 1 hour and 15 minutes. It will, ideally, be golden in color by now and ready to eat.

    Indian-Style Stuffed Roast Chicken in a baking dish

    The Spruce / Christine Ma