Kruiekors Hoender (Chicken & Herb Crust)
Kruiekors Hoender
Pressing the crust onto the chicken had its own quiet rhythm, the mixture clinging in uneven patches that baked into something far more beautiful than anything too perfect. In the oven, the top turned crisp and speckled, the herbs darkening just enough to release their scent.
Ingredients
- 1.5 kg chicken
- Salt, black pepper and 2 tsp mixed herbs
- About 0.5 cup water for cooking
- 3 slices white bread
- 2 tbsp butter
- 2 large onions, roughly chopped
- 250 g mushrooms, sliced
- 1 Knorr Chicken Stock Pot (or 1 Packet mushroom soup mix)
- 200 ml boiling water
- 5 tbsp white wine
- Crust topping:
- 2.5 cups plain flour
- 1 tsp salt
- 4 tsp baking powder
- 1 cup grated cheese
- 2 tbsp chopped parsley
- 160 ml oil
- 1 cup milk
- 2 tbsp lemon juice
- 2 eggs
Method
- For the Filling:
- Preheat the oven to 200°C.
- Cook the chicken in water seasoned with salt, pepper and mixed herbs; simmer until cooked.
- Debone and cut the chicken into pieces.
- Soak the white bread slices in the cooking liquid, then add them to the chicken.
- Melt the butter in a pan and sauté the onions and mushrooms; add to the chicken.
- Mix the Knorr cube or the mushroom soup powder with 0.75 cup boiling water and pour into the chicken mixture.
- Season and add the white wine; combine well.
- Transfer into an ovenproof dish.
- For the crust:
- Combine the flour, salt and baking powder
- Stir in the cheese and parsley.
- Whisk together oil, milk, lemon juice and eggs, then mix into the flour to form a batter.
- Spoon portions of the batter over the chicken to form the crust.
- Bake at 200°C for about 30 minutes until the crust is cooked and golden.