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Perfect match: aged whites with spicy chicken

Australian Gourmet Traveller wine match recipe for Indian-spiced roast chicken.

Mar 14, 2013 3:18am
By Alice Storey
  • 45 mins preparation
  • 1 hr 50 mins cooking plus marinating, cooling, resting, soaking
  • Serves 6
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Indian-spiced roast chicken
We are very lucky in this country. Well, those who like their white wines with some bottle age are, at least. A number of our best wineries lay down some of their best whites each vintage to be released five, even 10 years later, when the wines have transformed from light, flighty, nervy young things into mature, rounded, far more satisfying drinks. Some winemakers provide this cellaring service with quantities large enough that when the wines do emerge from their dark slumber, they're widely available at very attractive prices. A bottle-aged sémillon, riesling or marsanne is exactly what you need for this spicy, fragrant dish, as they have heady aroma, rich vinosity and refreshing acidity. The wine's grapy texture is matched with the dense flesh of the chook and spuds; its citrusy perfume and acidity will take care of the chilli, coriander and yoghurt; and its bottle-aged toasty characters will echo the earthiness of the turmeric.
A white rich in vinosity, fresh with acidity and mature from a five-year slumber is Max Allen’s choice for this spicy chook.

Ingredients

  • 1 chicken (about 1.8kg)
  • To serve: steamed rice, thinly sliced long green chillies and shallow-fried fresh curry leaves (optional)
Spiced yoghurt marinade
  • 150 ml Greek-style yoghurt
  • ½ onion, finely chopped
  • 3 garlic cloves, chopped
  • 15 gm ginger, finely chopped (3cm piece)
  • ½ tsp each ground turmeric, ground chilli and ground cayenne pepper
  • ¼ tsp garam masala
  • 60 ml olive oil (¼ cup)
Potato and ginger stuffing
  • 200 gm Dutch cream potatoes
  • 85 gm frozen peas, defrosted
  • 2 tbsp olive oil
  • 1 onion, finely chopped
  • 1 long green chilli, finely chopped
  • 5 gm ginger, finely chopped (1cm piece)
  • ½ cup (loosely packed) coriander, coarsely chopped
Mint chutney
  • 1½ cups (loosely packed) mint leaves
  • ½ tbsp tamarind concentrate mixed with 40ml water, strained
  • 2 tbsp finely chopped Spanish onion
  • 1 garlic clove, finely chopped
  • 5 gm ginger, finely chopped (1cm piece)
  • 1 long green chilli, thinly sliced
  • ½ tsp caster sugar

Method

Main
  • 1
    For spiced yoghurt marinade, process ingredients (except oil) in a food processor until a paste forms, then stir in oil.
  • 2
    Place chicken in a non-reactive container, rub all over with marinade and refrigerate overnight for flavours to develop.
  • 3
    For potato and ginger stuffing, place potato and enough cold salted water to just cover in a saucepan over medium-high heat and boil until tender (15-18 minutes). Drain well, set aside to cool, coarsely chop and set aside. Blanch peas until bright green (30 seconds), refresh and set aside. Heat oil in a frying pan, add onion and stir occasionally until translucent (5-6 minutes). Add chilli and fry until fragrant (1 minute). Add potato and cook until golden (7-10 minutes). Add ginger, season to taste, set aside to cool, then stir in peas and coriander.
  • 4
    Preheat oven to 220C. Stuff potato and ginger stuffing into chicken cavity, truss legs and roast until just golden (20 minutes). Cover with foil, reduce heat to 160C and roast until almost cooked through (30 minutes). Remove foil, cook until golden and cooked through (20 minutes), then set aside to rest (15 minutes).
  • 5
    For mint chutney, process ingredients in a food processor and season to taste.
  • 6
    Scatter rice with chilli and curry leaves and serve with chicken and mint chutney.

Notes

Note You'll need to begin this recipe a day ahead to marinate the chicken. Drink suggestion by Max Allen

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