Loading...
Saturday, April 13, 2013

Moroccan Roast Chicken with Couscous Stuffing recipe

Moroccan Roast Chicken with Couscous Stuffing
Moroccan Roast Chicken with Couscous Stuffing

Serve this spice rubbed chicken with roasted baby carrots for a delicious

Serves 4-6

1 Moroccan Roast Chicken ingredients: free-range chicken. 1/4 cup melted butter. 1 teaspoon smoked paprika. 1/2 teaspoon ground turmeric. 1 lemon, halved
Couscous: 1 cup instant couscous. finely grated zest and juice 1 orange. 2 cloves garlic, crushed. 1 and 1/2 teaspoons each ground cumin and coriander. 12 dried dates, finely chopped. 1/2 cup chopped roasted almonds. 1 cup boiling water or chicken stock. sea salt and freshly ground pepper

Moroccan Roast Chicken recipe
Preheat the oven to 180C
Couscous: Combine all the ingredients in a heat-proof bowl and season with salt and pepper. Cover with plastic wrap and leave for 10 minutes. Uncover and fluff up with a fork then divide in half, using half for stuffing the chicken and reserving the other half for serving

Chicken: Rinse the chicken inside and out with cold water then dry well with kitchen towels. Spoon the couscous into the cavity of the chicken then place half a lemon inside to block the cavity and prevent the stuffing from falling out Tie the legs together loosely with kitchen string. Combine the butter, paprika and turmeric in a bowl and brush all over the chicken then season with salt and pepper. By then, the Moroccan roast chicken is ready

To cook: Place the chicken in a roasting dish and pour 1/2 a cup of water into the base. Add the other lemon half and roast for 1 and 1/2 hours, basting with the pan juices every 20 minutes and turning the pan for even browning. Test for readiness by inserting a skewer into the thickest part of the thigh - the juices should run clear without any trace of pink Rest the chicken loosely covered for 10 minutes before transferring to a platter and carving. Squeeze over the roasted lemon and serve with the reserved couscous

COOK'S TIP: It's important to divide the couscous before stuffing the chicken or you risk contaminating all the couscous with raw chicken juices while spooning it into the cavity.
 
TOP