Chicken Baked In Pumpkin

Step 1: As your butcher to separate the marylands (leg and thigh intact) from the chicken and remove the backbone to leave a chicken crown with the wings on.

Step 2: Reserve the marylands for another use and you could also use the backbone to make stock or discard.

Step 3: Using a sharp knife, cut a wide circle into the top of the pumpkin to create a large lid.

Step 4: Use a spoon to remove seeds and scrape around the edges, creating a cavity large enough for the chicken crown to fit inside.

Step 5: Preheat the oven to 180C and brush chicken with oil and season.

Step 6: Melt butter in a frypan over medium-high heat and add the chicken and cook, turning for 3-4 minutes until skin is golden.

Step 7: Remove chicken and set aside and add the thyme and white wine to pan, and cook, scraping the bottom of the pan with a spoon, for 2 minutes or until wine is reduced by half.

Step 8: Place the pumpkin in a roasting pan, then place the chicken inside the pumpkin.

Step 9: Pour wine over chicken and replace with pumpkin lid on top - the lid should fit quite tightly (you may need to readjust chicken if lid doesn't fit tightly and them cover pumpkin with foil.

Step 10: Bake pumpkin for 1 1/2 to 2 hours until lid is easily pierced with a sharp knife.

Step 11: Remove chicken from the pumpkin and set aside.

Step 12: Slice four 2cm slices from the pumpkin, reserving remaining pumpkin for another use (will last up to 1 week in the fridge).

Step 13: Transfer chicken to a board and cut in half down the breastbone.

Step 14: Serve with the pumpkin, snow peas and snow pea shoots.

Step 15: Drizzle with olive oil and serve.