This dish produces fragrant and tender chicken, while the dough absorbs the delicious baking juices, creating a wonderful culinary combination.
It's quick to prepare if you make the dough in advance, about 1-2 hours ahead. I've used boneless chicken legs, but any chicken part you prefer will work, even bone-in.
I used a 28 cm diameter tray, but any oven-safe dish will suffice.
Begin by preparing the dough, as it needs to rest for 1-2 hours before adding the chicken:
- In a bowl, combine the flour with the baking soda.
- Mix the buttermilk with the egg, oil, sugar, and salt.
- Combine the flour mixture with the buttermilk mixture and knead to form the dough.
- The dough should be soft and slightly sticky. Use a small amount of flour to help knead on the work surface until smooth.
- Allow the dough to rest for 1-2 hours.
While the dough rests, prepare a baking tray by greasing it with a bit of oil. Use a round or square tray with higher edges to prevent juices from spilling into the oven.
Slice the onion into thin strips and spread in the tray, adding a sprinkle of salt and pepper.
Wash the chicken, cut into pieces, and place it over the onion. Season with salt and your chosen spices.
Once the dough is ready, roll it out and cover the chicken entirely. Press to ensure the dough fits snugly, with edges greater than the tray diameter.
Trim the excess dough – I cut along the longer edges of the tray.
You can freeze leftover dough for future use with other meat or savory pies.
Use your fingers to press the dough's elevated edges down towards the tray's bottom, encasing all the meat perfectly.
Ensure this is the appearance before baking.
Bake in a preheated oven at 200°C for 45 minutes.
Remove from oven and allow it to rest in the tray for 10 minutes.
With care, drain the juice into a container—do not discard!
Invert another tray over the baking dish.
Flip the tray over to transfer the baked dough to a serving plate.
Pour the reserved juice over the meat, allowing it to soak into the dough for 5-10 minutes.
Your dish is now ready to serve with any side you prefer. We enjoyed ours with a salad of pickles.
Serve by spooning pieces of the dough-wrapped meat onto each plate. Enjoy your meal!