How To Debone A Whole Chicken Ashanti Chicken

Want something fun, new, and exciting on your Thanksgiving or Christmas table? Try this African ballotine—deboned chicken stuffed and rolled into a bundle. What is a ballotine? Balle in French means package. A ballotine is a whole chicken, duck, turkey, pheasant, or other poultry completely deboned and stuffed with goodness. Don’t let the idea of deboning a whole bird scare you. With my simple instructions, you’ll become a master in no time. I promise, pinky promise, you won’t regret it. Plus, do you know what the stuffing is? Rice, but not just any rice, it’s jollof rice. You have got to make this! Your family will think you are a genius, and you’ll impress the heck out of them! You’re guaranteed to get a lot of oohs and ahs. However, you may have to step out of your comfort zone for this one. But it’s worth it just once because Christmas and Thanksgiving only come once a year, right? This recipe was inspired by the Ghanaian version of roasted chicken from the Ashanti region. According to Congo Cookbook, it’s going instinct. That would be a shame because it’s fantastic. And you can debone a turkey just as easily.

Why Debone a Whole Chicken

The hardest part for me was deboning the chicken. I have to admit it was quite daunting, but after watching a few YouTube videos on deboning chicken, I felt up to the task. Could it be that hard? After all, I am not a chicken—pun intended. After some deep breaths, I got it down to under an hour. Then I tried again, and it took about 30 minutes, and the third time, 20 minutes. They say practice makes perfect, and that’s so true. The wings were the most challenging part for me. In the end, I realized it wasn’t worth it, and I cut the wings off and used them for stock. Stuffing the chicken is the fun part, but be careful not to overstuff it. You should be able to truss the chicken easily with the flaps overlapping.

Ingredient List

How to Debone a Whole Chicken Without Cutting the Skin

Start – Place the chicken breast side down and the neck facing you. Cut off the wings (or at least the tips) because they’re hard to debone. Save them for stock. Backbone – Slice the chicken alongside the backbone from the tail to the neck. Then, slice it along the other side of the backbone. Ribs – Pull the flesh from the bone and continue slicing along the ribs, being careful not to cut through the skin or meat. Wishbone – Keep cutting next to the rib bones until you reach the breast bone. When you come to the wishbone, run your knife along its front and back and free the ribcage. Free the wishbone and remove it. Thighs and Legs – Make an incision along the thigh bone all the way down to the leg. Then, make another incision along the length of the leg to the ankle joint. Take hold of the thigh bone and carefully slice around it to remove the bone. Repeat with the leg by running your knife along the bone to free it from the meat. Carefully cut the connective tissues and remove any remaining cartilage. You may need to move the bones around and free them from the meat with your knife. Slice from where the wings used to be to the thigh along the ribcage. Repeat with the other thigh and leg. Breast – Pull the rib cage up and back, slicing the meat from the bone as you go. Be careful not to cut into the meat as you remove the breastbone. Keep cutting until the skeletal structure comes loose from the chicken meat. Final Stretch – Run your fingers across the meat to ensure all bones and cartilage were removed. Gently cut off any that remain.

How to Make Ashanti Chicken

The Chicken and Rice

Dry the chicken inside and out, patting it with paper towels. Season it with salt. Spice Rub – 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. Season – 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. Truss – You can either sew the chicken or wrap the chicken up. 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 an inch or so apart is much easier. Final Tie – 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. Roast – Generously season the outside of the chicken with more of the spice mixture. Place the Ashanti 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. Rest – Remove the cooked chicken (165℉/75℃ on an instant-read thermometer) from the oven and let it rest for 30 minutes. While it rests, make the gravy.

The Chicken Gravy

Roux – Heat a saucepan or skillet with the drippings over medium-high heat. Whisk the flour in to make a roux. Stir for a minute or two to eliminate the raw flour and develop a nutty aroma. Gravy – 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. Serve – Slice the chicken, smother it in gravy, and enjoy!

Notes on How to Debone a Whole Chicken

Make-Ahead and Storage

This recipe is a great make-ahead dish. Prep it the day before and roast the day of. I don’t recommend freezing it because a whole stuffed chicken may take too long to completely thaw.

What Pairs With Ashanti Chicken

This one-pot recipe doesn’t need much. But Ashanti chicken goes excellent with African pepper sauce and a side of collard greens. Add a pitcher of sorrel drink and chocolate puff puff for dessert.