Stuffed Chicken Maryland with Vegetables

This is probably the first recipe I get from the Australian Women's Weekly magazine.  It is not written down any where and I only remember it in my heart.  I have added some tomato paste over the chicken to give it more flavour and I think it's French style to put stuffing between skin and meat. (???) It's a recipe adopted from Margaret Fulton when she was working for the magazine a long time ago.  You can see her judging at MasterChef Australia and promoting for the supermarket, her food has been labeled as "honest to goodness."  I haven't got many of her cookbooks, only two books for the beginners but her recipes are simple and easy to follow.

This is the main course for my Mother's Day Special and I'm serving it with the stuffing made from my friend, DeLynne who comes from US.  She bakes the chicken stuffing on its own rather than stuffing into the chicken, so it is has a crispy crust like the quiche.  I don't fancy stuffing too much but DeLynne's stuffing has changed my view for it.

Stuffed Chicken Maryland with Vegetables
(serve 4)

4 chicken maryland
1/2 cup bacon pieces
1 small zucchini, finely chopped
1/2 small onion, finely chopped
1/3 cup shredded cheese
1 teaspoon garlic mince
tomato paste
extra shredded cheese
salt and pepper

For the vegetables:
steamed broccolini
mashed sweet potato

Method:

1. Trim off excess fat of the chicken maryland, season it with salt and pepper.
2. Heat oil in pan, add in onion, bacon and garlic.  Stir for a while then add in zucchini and cheese.
3. Stuff the zucchini mixture underneath the skin of the chicken.  Place it onto the baking tray lined with baking paper.  Spread some tomato paste over the skin of the chicken.  Baked in a moderate oven for about 30 minutes, then sprinkle extra cheese over the chicken.  Bake for another 45 minutes or until the chicken is cooked.  To test the chicken is cooked, poke it with a fork, it is done if the juice runs clear.
4. For the vegetable: Peel and chopped the sweet potato.  Cook it in boiling water until soft.  Mash it with a masher until fine.  Serve it with steamed broccolini and chicken.  

zucchini stuffing