1.Preheat oven to 190°C/170°C fan-forced. To make stuffing: place butter and garlic in a bowl. Microwave for 30 seconds at 50% (1200w), until butter melts. Add remaining ingredients and mix well. Season to taste.
2.Wash chicken and pat dry. Spoon stuffing into cavity. To truss, put chicken on its back. Pull skin over neck and secure by folding wing tips back over skin. Run string around wings and underneath to cross over back. Turn chicken and bring string up to tie legs together, keeping them close to body and securing stuffing.
3.Rub oil over chicken and season well. Place bacon over breast. Place on a rack in a baking pan. Add 1 cup water to pan and roast 45 minutes. Remove bacon from chicken and keep warm. Increase oven to 200°C/180°C fan-forced. Scatter chicken with sage and roast 35 minutes, until cooked. To test, insert a skewer into inside of thigh. Juices should run clear, not pink.
4.Remove stuffing and cut chicken into pieces. Serve with stuffing, bacon, roast vegetables and gravy.
How to join a chicken: Remove string, place chicken on a board, and cut skin around leg with knife against carcass then press leg joint outwards to expose the joint. Cut through and slip point of knife under the hack to release the maryland (drumstick and thigh). Repeat with other side. Separate into thighs and drumsticks, if you like. Hold chicken with a fork, cut away wing joints with some breast meat by cutting into breast, running parallel with wishbone, cutting down to bone of breast. Repeat with other side. To get two breast halves, sever whole breast on bone from remaining carcass. Cut through centre of breast meat, lifting it off the bone. Repeat with other side. Or carve slices by cutting downwards into the breast meat.
Australian Table
