240. Paprika Roasted Baby Chicken Stuffed with Rice

This rice-stuffed roasted baby chicken is hearty, earthy, and highly satisfying.
If you want it to be festive, it can certainly be that too!
There are quite a few spices utilized for the basting and for the rice stuffing, but the star is the paprika.

There is enough rice in the cavity of the chicken as is, but a little extra rice for the bed nestling the chicken is always welcome :)
I used some chickpea rice pilaf for the chicken bed.

Ingredients:

For the chicken:
2x900g chicken
8 cloves garlic, crushed
2 tsp paprika
1/2 lemon, juice

For the rice stuffing:
1 cup rice
1 onion, finely chopped
1 tsp paprika
1 tsp turmeric
1 tsp curry powder
1/2 tsp chili
1 tsp mustard seeds
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp allspice
1/2 tsp pepper
1 tsp salt

Method:

Mix the 2 tsp paprika with the crushed garlic and the lemon juice.
Rub this mixture all over and in the raw chicken in a rimmed baking dish; set aside.

To make the rice, rinse the rice and drain; set aside.
Saute the onion a 2 tablespoons of oil until wilted.
Add all the remaining spices and seasonings.
Saute until fragrant.
Stir in the rinsed rice, add a cup of boiled water, cover and leave over medium heat for 5 to 7 minutes.
Remove from heat, uncover, and let cool.
The rice at this point is not fully cooked, but will continue to cook in the oven.

Preheat the oven to 400F.
Stuff the chicken's cavities with the cooked rice mixture.
I even stuffed some rice under the chicken breast skin, but this is optional.
Cover the baking dish with parchment-lined foil and bake for 1 hour.
Uncover and bake for 20 to 30 minutes more until the skin is a golden brown.
Let rest 10 minutes out of the oven before carving.

 صحة و عافية