Amina's Stuffed Chicken - Mahshi Dejaj

Cook Time 1 hour 45 minutes

Servings 6-8

Ingredients

1 x size 16 chicken (approx 1.6kg)

Rice Stuffing

1 tbsp ghee or butter

1 large brown onion, finely chopped

1 tsp minced garlic

300g lamb mince

2 cups medium grain rice, soaked for 15 mins, washed and drained

1 heaped tsp baharat (Arabic mixed spices)

½ tsp ground cinnamon

½ tsp ground cardamom

3¾ cups chicken stock (hot)

2 tbsp toasted pine nuts

2 tbsp toasted slivered almonds

2 tbsp barberries or currants

Salt and pepper, to taste

Seasoning for under Chicken Skin

1 tbsp softened ghee or butter

½ tsp baharat

½ tsp fine salt

⅓ tsp ground pepper

Method

Heat a saucepan on medium to high heat and when hot, add the ghee or butter. Then add the chopped onion and minced garlic and fry for 5 minutes, stirring regularly. Cook the lamb mince with the onion and garlic ensuring to mix regularly to avoid clumping. Once the meat has almost cooked through, stir in the spices followed by the rice and hot chicken stock. Bring to the boil, season with salt and pepper then cover and drop the heat to a gentle simmer. Cook for 15 minutes then remove from the heat and allow to rest with the cover left on for a further 10 minutes.

Whilst the rice is resting, prepare the chicken by cleaning and drying it. Keep aside.

After the rice has rested, uncover and using a fork, mix the rice gently and toss through the toasted almonds and pine nuts. Split the rice mixture into half. Reserve one half for serving and use the other half to stuff the chicken with. You may need some more rice from the serving portion if needed however do not overfill the chicken.

Once the chicken is stuffed, mix the seasoning for the chicken skin. Gently lift the skin from the flesh around the chicken breasts and thighs and massage the seasoned ghee or butter in between.

Transfer to a baking dish and place into a preheated oven at 200°C for 20 minutes. Drop the temperature to 170°C and cook for a further 40 minutes ensuring to baste the chicken with any liquid that seeps to the base.

Allow to rest for 10 minutes before serving. Serve with the reserved stuffed rice mixture heated and a fresh salad.