Name: Middle Eastern Roasted Chicken with Rice, Currant, and Pine Nut Stuffing
Yield: 8
Ingredients: 3 Tbsp pine nuts; 1 Tbsp olive oil; 1 lb ground chicken; 1/4 tsp allspice; 1/4 tsp coriander; 1/4 tsp cinnamon; 2 cloves garlic (chopped); 1/2 tsp Kosher salt; 1/4 tsp freshly ground pepper; 1-1/2 cups cooked rice; 2 Tbsp currants; 1 Tbsp chopped fresh mint; Fresh mint sprigs for garnish; 1 approx. 5 lbs whole chicken (giblets removed); 1/2 tsp salt; 1/2 tsp freshly ground pepper; 4 carrots (peeled and cut into 1-inch lengths); 2 small onions (peeled and cut into large dice); 2 turnips (peeled and cut into large dice); 2 cups chicken broth

Middle Eastern Roasted Chicken with Rice, Currant, and Pine Nut Stuffing

Roasted_Chicken_Rice_Currant_Stuffing_WEB

Course

Main Dish

Cuisine

Middle Eastern

Servings

Ingredients

Stuffing:

3 Tbsp pine nuts
1 Tbsp olive oil
1 lb ground chicken
1/4 tsp allspice
1/4 tsp coriander
1/4 tsp cinnamon
2 cloves garlic chopped
1/2 tsp Kosher salt
1/4 tsp freshly ground pepper
1-1/2 cups cooked rice
2 Tbsp currants
1 Tbsp chopped fresh mint
Fresh mint sprigs for garnish

Chicken:

1 approx. 5 lbs whole chicken giblets removed
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp freshly ground pepper
4 carrots peeled and cut into 1-inch lengths
2 small onions peeled and cut into large dice
2 turnips peeled and cut into large dice
2 cups chicken broth

Course

Main Dish

Cuisine

Middle Eastern

Servings

Ingredients

Stuffing:

3 Tbsp pine nuts
1 Tbsp olive oil
1 lb ground chicken
1/4 tsp allspice
1/4 tsp coriander
1/4 tsp cinnamon
2 cloves garlic chopped
1/2 tsp Kosher salt
1/4 tsp freshly ground pepper
1-1/2 cups cooked rice
2 Tbsp currants
1 Tbsp chopped fresh mint
Fresh mint sprigs for garnish

Chicken:

1 approx. 5 lbs whole chicken giblets removed
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp freshly ground pepper
4 carrots peeled and cut into 1-inch lengths
2 small onions peeled and cut into large dice
2 turnips peeled and cut into large dice
2 cups chicken broth

Instructions

Stuffing:

In a medium-sized skillet, toast pine nuts over medium heat, tossing occasionally, until they are browned and fragrant, about 3–4 minutes (be careful not to burn).
Remove nuts to a small bowl and reserve. In the same pan, add olive oil and heat. Add ground chicken, allspice, coriander, cinnamon, garlic, salt, and pepper. Sauté ground chicken, breaking it up into small pieces until cooked through, approx. 5–6 minutes.
Turn off heat. To the chicken mixture, add rice, pine nuts, currants, and mint. Stir to combine and cool completely. (Stuffing may be made ahead of time.)
When stuffing mixture is cool, stuff into chicken cavity and into neck area under skin. Reserve any remaining stuffing to serve with finished dish.

Chicken:

Heat oven to 350 degrees. Sprinkle outside of chicken with salt and pepper; place in roasting pan and roast for 30 minutes.
Add carrots, onions, and turnips to bottom of roasting pan and pour stock over chicken. Roast for another 60 minutes or until a thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the thigh registers 170 degrees.
Remove chicken from the oven and allow to rest for 10 minutes. Remove stuffing from chicken and place on heated serving platter.
Remove drumsticks and thighs from bird then remove breast meat. Slice breast crosswise. Place on platter alongside of rice stuffing.
Place vegetables on platter and spoon sauce over chicken. Garnish with fresh mint sprigs.

Recipe Notes

Recipe and photo reprinted with permission from the National Chicken Council (www.chickenroost.com).

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