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    Home » Chicken

    January 12, 2015

    ThermoFun - Herbie The Chook & His Vego Friends Recipe

    Jump to recipe

    HerbieChook

    One of my most favourite things to cook in the Thermomix is to steam a whole chook (Aussie slang for chicken)!  It's amazing how so many people are not aware that this can be done, but once they do it for the first time they never look back!

    I prefer to steam my chicken in the Varoma as opposed to roasting it in the oven. Sometimes I put it in the oven for 10 minutes at the end to brown up, this depends on the sort of marinade I rub into it. I find if I have paprika in the mix to rub on it, that it doesn’t need to go in the oven at all due to the colour of paprika.  However it really is a personal preference.

    Steaming the chicken in the Varoma leaves the chicken soooo moist it’s really beautiful. I do find that the oven can dry out the chicken meat in comparison.

    NB: If you are only cooking for 1 or 2 people you can buy a few chicken pieces rather than a whole chicken.

    Herbie the Chook was made by many on the June and November 2014 ThermoFun Cook Along and was loved by all.

    All my spice blends work well with a "roast chook".

    ThermoFun – Herbie The Chook & His Vego Friends Recipe

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    Serving Size
    serves 4-6
    Rate this recipe
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    143 ratings

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    ThermoFun – Herbie The Chook & His Vego Friends Recipe

    Ingredients

    • 1 chicken (up to 2kg)
    • 1 tablespoon mixed herbs, dried
    • 2 teaspoon paprika, sweet
    • ½ teaspoon salt
    • ½ teaspoon pepper
    • 1 lemon, halved
    • 1700g boiling water from kettle
    • vegetables of choice, cut into serving size pieces

    Instructions

    1. Rinse the chicken cavity and then pat dry with paper towel.
    2. Pierce the skin of the chicken all over with a knife.
    3. Mix in a small dish: mixed herbs, paprika, salt, pepper and juice of half a lemon.
    4. With gloves on, rub mix onto skin. Place remaining un-juiced lemon half at the end of the cavity.
      Tip: you can use toothpicks to hold lemon in place. Set aside chicken into Varoma deep dish.
    5. Pour boiling water into TM bowl, place assembled Varoma onto TM lid and cook 60 mins / Varoma / speed 2.
    6. Remove Varoma from TM lid and set aside. Check water level in bowl is adequate. Add hard vegetables eg. potatoes, pumpkin, and carrots into simmering basket and carefully lower basket into TM bowl.
    7. Place assembled Varoma with chicken onto TM lid and cook 30 mins / Varoma / speed 2 (vary time depending on size of chicken). Then place the soft vegetables around the chicken and cook 8 mins / Varoma / speed 2.
      OR remove chicken from Varoma and place into a baking dish to brown. Cook in oven approx. 20-30 mins.
    8. This will then give plenty of room to steam a large amount of vegetables in your Varoma, if required.

    Notes

    * Rubbing paprika onto the skin gives a more traditional ‘roasted’ appearance but I do wear disposable gloves to save my fingers getting stained!
    * Make sure to keep broth from steamed chicken as it is a great base for soups, stews, sauces etc

    © 2023 Copyright, Legal Notice and Disclaimer: Design, photography and text copyright © ThermoFun 2014-2021. Tips and tricks within are the work of the author or nominated parties who have no association with Vorwerk or Thermomix in Australia and therefore are not official, or have the approval of Vorwerk or Thermomix in Australia. None of the recipes that appear here are tested or approved by Thermomix Australia or Vorwerk. Any thoughts expressed on this site are the authors own and are not sponsored by products unless clearly stated. Any nutritional values published on this website are general indications only, for more definitive stats use the panels provided on your products.

    Disclaimer:  If you are using your TM5 and you get an error code C160 or C161 - please contact your consultant or Thermomix Australia in regards to your machine as it may have a known problem.

     

    Click Here for more great recipes in a number of e-cookbooks – containing recipes to suit everyone.

    If you have enjoyed this recipe then please consider leaving a comment.  It’s always refreshing to see comments from people that have tried a recipe and found it a success or tweaked it to suit.

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    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Kirl says

      April 09, 2018 at 5:33 pm

      My Herbie was a Sage and something Woolies special, cooked this method.
      Delicious

      Reply
    2. Katrina says

      August 25, 2017 at 1:30 pm

      If I don't have a lemon to juice and use in the cavity, will that matter? I have lemon juice in a bottle I can use for the marinade, just don't want to go to woolies for a lemon!

      Reply
      • thermofun says

        August 26, 2017 at 3:23 pm

        Yes Katrina that should be fine. :)

        Reply
    3. Jessica says

      April 25, 2017 at 8:23 pm

      Made this tonight, used juices to make a gravy while chicken was crisping up in the oven! If it tastes as good as it smells it will be a family favourite.

      Reply
    4. Carolyn says

      March 05, 2017 at 7:39 pm

      Wow..My super fussy husband walked into the house and commented on how good the chicken was smelling. Luckily I had transferred the chicken from the thermie to the oven to crisp. So easy, so yummy and so enjoyed by everyone. Thank you x

      Reply
      • thermofun says

        March 09, 2017 at 4:40 pm

        Awesome stuff :D Sounds like a great meal.

        Reply
    5. Angela says

      February 21, 2017 at 9:27 pm

      How long can you keep the stock for and what can you normally use it for? If I was to add it to soup where I normally use 600ml water + 1 tbsp veggie stock paste - how much of this chicken stock would I substitute it for please?

      Reply
      • thermofun says

        February 23, 2017 at 11:34 am

        Hi Angela, I freeze mine so it lasts for a good few months. I use it in anything that requires stock and water. I tend to just use the liquid stock (in place of water) same quantity if a recipes calls for water but then I'd reduce the vege stock a little.

        Reply
    6. Chelle Sullivan says

      February 19, 2017 at 3:20 pm

      Years ago, i did a chook in the microwave & rubbed it with soy sauce & garlic, which gave it a brown skin, took it to a family gathering & no one believed that it was done in microwave, not oven, anyways even though soy sauce & garlic isnt as elaborate as over rubs above, i think i might just try it.

      Reply
      • thermofun says

        February 19, 2017 at 4:58 pm

        That does sound delicious Chelle, a soy and garlic rub.

        Reply
    7. Jenny says

      September 04, 2016 at 11:32 pm

      I have commented before but I'll do it again this is my fav way to do a chook n loved by all the family, n was a request for hubby for Father's day. I also used the juices to make a delicious gravy. Yum yum.

      Reply
      • thermofun says

        September 17, 2016 at 8:25 am

        Thanks Jenny - I hope hubby had a lovely Father's Day too! :)

        Reply
        • Robyn says

          June 17, 2017 at 7:13 am

          Hello, how did you make the gravy?

          Reply
          • thermofun says

            June 21, 2017 at 3:39 pm

            Robyn, for this particular recipe I don't bother with gravy as the chicken is so moist. :)

            Reply
    8. Kate says

      June 18, 2016 at 6:44 pm

      I just made this and it smells amazing. How do I tell if it is cooked though. She is pink but the juices run clear. Any ideas pls x

      Reply
      • thermofun says

        June 19, 2016 at 11:31 pm

        Kate - Slice the skin between the leg and the breast and peek at the juices. If they're clear, the chicken is likely done. If they're just slightly pink, try the next test. When the chicken is cooked, the meat should feel firm rather than jiggly or rubbery. I hope this helps :)

        Reply
    9. Jenny says

      March 23, 2016 at 12:16 pm

      We always love herbie here n he has become a regular on our menu. Thanks Leonie for another great recipe.

      Reply
      • thermofun says

        March 23, 2016 at 3:26 pm

        My pleasure Jenny :)

        Reply
    10. Phoebe says

      March 23, 2016 at 8:13 am

      My chook is 2.08, is that going to cause significant problems? TIA ?

      Reply
      • thermofun says

        March 23, 2016 at 3:25 pm

        No it shouldn't Phoebe, as long as it fits in your varoma & just cook for a few minutes longer

        Reply
    11. Cathy says

      March 21, 2016 at 12:26 pm

      I ditched the mixed herbs and paprika last night in favour of the Moroccan Spice mix....... ohhh my, now that is a chook worth eating :)

      Reply
      • thermofun says

        March 21, 2016 at 12:37 pm

        Oh that's awesome Cathy! Glad you enjoy it :)

        Reply
    12. Annette says

      November 15, 2015 at 9:06 pm

      This may be a silly question, but what dried herbs do you suggest? I've used mixed herbs & the paprika, although I'm now questioning my choice...

      Reply
      • thermofun says

        November 17, 2015 at 4:10 pm

        Hi Annette, not a silly question at all. :) Mixed herbs are good or you could try my Moroccan Spice blend. https://thermofun.com/thermofun-moroccan-spice-recipe/

        Reply
    13. Sarah says

      November 04, 2015 at 9:03 pm

      Attempted to impress tonight... Comment made after tasting this "that is some of the best chicken I have tasted for a long time" Thankyou ? Still try go convince him that it was not done in the oven. Thankyou for s great recipe

      Reply
      • thermofun says

        November 04, 2015 at 11:13 pm

        Awesome to hear Sarah! Thank you! :)

        Reply
    14. Sarah says

      May 10, 2015 at 7:28 pm

      Just tried herbie chook for dinner today. It was great. Dh was pleasantly surprised telling me ...noooooooooo don't do it...... When I said we were having steamed chicken for dinner. Thanks:-)

      Reply
    15. rochelle says

      April 24, 2015 at 6:23 pm

      I love this recipe and have adapted it a few times. Tonight is lemon and thyme in cavity and fried off in a frypan to crisp the skin. I hand also done butter, garlic and fresh tarragon in the cavity and made a tarragon sauce with the left over water, but its not as thick as in the oven. Can I reduce the cooking water at all?

      Reply
      • thermofun says

        April 25, 2015 at 4:12 pm

        Hi Rochelle, yes I'm sure you could reduce the water. You will just need to keep an eye on it that you don't reduce it too much! Sorry but it will just be a matter of trial and error. :)

        Reply
    16. Louise says

      April 17, 2015 at 10:47 am

      This has to be one of my favourite recipes EVER!!! Even my thermie hating hubby LOVES this!! :)

      Reply
      • thermofun says

        April 17, 2015 at 5:12 pm

        oh I'm pleased your thermie hating hubby loves it Louise! :)

        Reply
    17. Sally980 says

      April 16, 2015 at 10:55 pm

      Love love love this recipe

      Reply
    18. Carol says

      March 14, 2015 at 1:40 am

      herbie was my first foray into cooking a whole chook in the varoma. Wow it was splendid. Did myself proud I did. I fiddled around with the rub and chucked the lemon leftovers and some garlic into the gut. Outcome splendiferous. And, if you will pardon the pun, I haven't stopped crowing.

      Reply
      • thermofun says

        March 15, 2015 at 3:40 pm

        So glad you liked it. I'd like to come back with another pun, but I'm too chicken ;)

        Reply
    19. kim says

      February 01, 2015 at 7:00 pm

      Delicious and so easy!

      Reply
    20. Sue Shields 3 says

      January 14, 2015 at 8:07 pm

      I rubbed mine with Apricot nectar and French onion soup ( old apricot chicken recipe ) and a couple of garlic cloves in cavity and it was absolutely delicious
      Size 9 chicken for two as perfect
      I have never cooked such a moist juicy chicken 10/10

      Reply
      • thermofun says

        January 15, 2015 at 12:42 pm

        Thanks Sue - yes it is amazing how moist it is! :)

        Reply

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