Preparation: 30 minutes
Cooking: 1 1/2 hours plus 15 minutes resting
Servings: 5–6
This crispy, tender, and golden roast chicken is simple to make and delicious to eat, with a fabulously sweet, fragrant, and spicy stuffing. The lemon and sage mingle with the pan juices and intensify the flavours. I like to serve the roast on a platter drizzled with the lemony pan juices and with a side of red cabbage and roasted root vegetables.
Brain Food Note
Chicken is rich in protein, fats, iron, and B vitamins for enhancing brain function, calming the body, and clearing the mind. The delicious stuffing made from nutrient-rich quinoa helps fight fatigue and anxiety as well as boost mood. Add cherries, which are rich in antioxidants, to aid sleep and relax the mind, and gut soothing bone broth to calm the brain and to support strong mental health.
1.6 kg whole organic chicken
zest and juice of 1 lemon
2 tablespoons coconut oil
For the stuffing
2 cups chicken bone broth
1 cup uncooked quinoa
2 tablespoons coconut oil
1 small red onion, chopped
2 garlic cloves, chopped
1 organic egg, lightly beaten
2 tablespoons fresh sage, chopped
1/4 cup toasted pine nuts
1/2 cup dried tart cherries, chopped
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon sweet paprika
1/2 teaspoon sea salt
zest and juice of 1 lemon
cooking twine
Preheat oven to 180 degrees C (or 360 degrees F).
To prepare the stuffing, strain the quinoa through a fine mesh sieve, rinsing with clean cool water for 2 minutes, and then place the quinoa
in a saucepan with the chicken broth. Bring to a boil and then reduce heat to simmer for 15–20 minutes, or until all liquid is absorbed.
Place a frying pan on the stove over medium heat. Add the coconut oil, then fry the onion and garlic for 5–7 minutes, or until fragrant. Put aside until the quinoa is ready. Once the quinoa is done, add the onion and garlic to the quinoa along with the rest of the stuffing ingredients. Mix well.
Wash the chicken and pat dry with paper towels. Fit as much stuffing as you can into the chicken cavity and freeze any leftovers. Using cooking twine, tie the legs and parson’s nose together. Place the chicken in the baking dish. Squeeze lemon juice over the top and sprinkle with lemon zest. Add the squeezed lemon halves to the baking dish. Season the chicken well with sea salt and freshly ground black pepper.
Roast for 45 minutes and then turn the chicken and baste with the pan juices. Roast for a further 45 minutes, then remove the chicken from the oven and transfer it to a large plate. Cover with a clean tea towel and leave to rest for at least 15 minutes.
Carve the meat into portions and serve with roasted vegetables.
