Roast Chicken with Quinoa, Corn and Almond Stuffing

, from Issue #61. September, 2015
Photography by Manja Wachsmuth.
Roast Chicken with Quinoa, Corn and Almond Stuffing

I love to roast chicken on a bed of vegetables so they become lovely and sticky from the cooking juices. You can use any combination of carrots, fennel, parsnips, potatoes, shallots and leeks.

Serves: 4–6

INGREDIENTS

1 chicken

Stuffing
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 onion, finely chopped
3 garlic cloves, finely chopped
1½ teaspoons each ground fennel and cumin
¾ cup quinoa
1½ cups frozen sweetcorn kernels
1¾ cups vegetable stock
12 dates, roughly chopped
½ cup whole roasted almonds, roughly chopped
2 tablespoons chopped parsley
sea salt and ground pepper

METHOD

Chicken: Rinse the chicken under cold water and dry well with paper towels.

Season the cavity and fill loosely with stuffingPlace the remaining stuffing in a baking dish and set aside. Tie the legs together with kitchen string. 

Rub the chicken with a little oil and season. 

If using a bed of vegetables, place them in a large roasting dish and put the chicken on top. Dot the chicken with butter and pour 1 cup of water into the dish, not over the chicken. Season the vegetables. 

Roast for 1½ hours, turning the pan occasionally for even browning and adding more water to the pan to prevent it drying out. 

Cover the reserved stuffing with foil and bake for 15 minutes until hot. 

To serve: Transfer the chicken and vegetables to a serving platter and spoon over the pan juices. Serve with the extra hot stuffing.