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Stuffed Chicken with Egusi and Smoked Fish Filling

Stuffed Chicken with Egusi and Smoked Fish Filling is an elegant fine dining creation where boneless chicken breasts are pounded flat, filled with a rich Egusi and smoked fish stuffing and rolled into neat logs before roasting until golden. Every slice reveals a beautiful cross-section of golden chicken around the dark, nutty Egusi and smoked fish filling.

Stuffed Chicken with Egusi and Smoked Fish Filling, Nigerian cooking

Ingredients

  • 4 big boneless skinless chicken breasts
  • Lemon juice and salt for cleaning
  • 1 teaspoon of curry powder
  • 1 teaspoon of garlic powder
  • 1 teaspoon of ground Cameroon pepper
  • 2 seasoning cubes (Knorr), crushed
  • Salt to taste
  • 2 cooking spoons of vegetable oil for searing FOR THE EGUSI AND SMOKED FISH STUFFING:
  • 1 big cup of ground egusi, fried in 1 cooking spoon of palm oil with ground crayfish, blended Atarodo and 1 seasoning cube until a very thick, almost dry paste forms
  • 2 big handfuls of shredded smoked catfish, very finely flaked and completely deboned
  • 1 big handful of ground dried crayfish
  • Salt to taste

Method

  1. 01

    Preparing the Chicken Breasts. Place each chicken breast between two sheets of cling film or a freezer bag. Pound evenly with a rolling pin or meat mallet until approximately 1 finger-width thick and even throughout. Season both sides with curry, garlic powder, Cameroon pepper, crushed seasoning cubes and salt.

  2. 02

    Making the Stuffing. Fry ground egusi in palm oil with ground crayfish, blended Atarodo and seasoning until a very thick, dry, cohesive paste forms. Stir in the finely flaked smoked catfish. Season. Allow to cool completely — the stuffing must be cool and firm before rolling.

  3. 03

    Rolling the Stuffed Chicken. Lay a pounded chicken breast flat. Spread 2 to 3 big big tablespoons of Egusi stuffing evenly over the surface, leaving a border of about 1 finger-width all around the edges. Roll tightly from one end to form a neat log. Wrap tightly in cling film, twisting the ends firmly to hold the shape. Refrigerate for 30 minutes to allow the shape to set.

  4. 04

    Searing and Roasting. Preheat the oven to a hot temperature. Remove cling film from the chicken logs. Heat oil in a wide ovenproof pan over very high heat. Sear each chicken log for 2 minutes on each side until golden-brown all over. Transfer the pan directly into the hot oven. Roast for 15 to 18 minutes until cooked completely through — test by inserting a skewer into the thickest point; the juices should run clear.

  5. 05

    Slicing and Serving. Allow to rest for 5 minutes. Slice each log into 3 to 4 elegant rounds. The cross-section should reveal golden chicken around the dark Egusi and smoked fish filling. Plate on warmed plates.

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