Arabian Stuffed Chicken

Arabian Stuffed Chicken

Ingredients:

chickens, medium size (each chicken about 1.2 - 1.3 kg)
1          portion Arabic-style rice stuffing recipe
3/4       cup raw pine nuts 
4          teaspoons mixed spices
1          teaspoon cinnamon
3/4       teaspoon ground black pepper
1½      teaspoon dried thyme, crushed
2½      teaspoons salt
1/3       cup olive oil
3          tablespoons yoghurt mixed with 3/4 teaspoon allspice
1          lemon or lime
Oven bags
Flour

  

How to Cook Stuffed Chicken:

·                     Wash the chickens well and remove the guts from the inside. Rub the chicken with coarse salt and rinse them well.  After that cut the lemon into four pieces and rub the inside and outside of the chicken with the lemon. Set the chicken aside for 5-10 minutes before rinsing. Rubbing the chicken with lemon removes any traces of unpleasant chicken smell. 

·                     In a small bowl mix the mixed spices, cinnamon, black pepper, dried thyme and salt.

·                     Rub the inside of the chicken with some of the spices mixture.

·                     After you rub the inside of the chicken, add the olive oil to the remaining spices and mix well. Then rub with this mixture the outside of the chicken. 

·                     Above the chicken thighs, with your fingers, carefully separate the skin from the flesh (like the picture below) and rub with the spices.  Separate as much of the skin from the flesh as you can without tearing the skin as you will later stuff this part.

• Separate about half of the Arabic-style rice stuffing to serve with the chicken. 
• Mix the other half of the rice stuffing with the pine nuts and stuff the inside of the chicken. Also stuff above the thigh where you separated the skin from the flesh. When you finish, using a regular needle and thread, stich the skin to close the opening.  Yes, you can use those cooking pins to close the skin; personally I prefer the old fashioned needle and thread.
• Now flip the chicken over and stuff from the neck side. Add as much stuffing as the extra neck skin permits. When done, stitch the skin. 

·                     Repeat with the other chicken. Usually I prepare the chicken up to this step hours before I start cooking the chicken and I cover them well and put them in the fridge.

·                     Rub the outside chicken skin with the yogurt mixed with allspice.

·                     Open the oven bag and add one teaspoon flour, then with your hand close the bag opening and shake the bag to spread the flour inside.

·                     Insert the stuffed chicken in the bag. If you are using average-sized bags, you can put one chicken per bag. The larger-size bags can take up to two chickens. 

·                     Seal the bag and with a toothpick make 2-3  small holes in the roasting bag. Make sure the holes are on the upper side of the bag, otherwise the chicken drippings will leak from the bag and you will have a drier chicken!

·                     Place in the oven at 350° and bake for 2 to 2 1/2 hours. You will know the chicken is done when you see the browned skin.

To serve Arabian Style Stuffed Chicken: I spread the rice stuffing I set aside on the serving plate. I then tear the roasting bag and carefully slide the chicken from the bag onto the rice. 

Serve Arabian-Style Stuffed Chicken by sprinkling on top fried or roasted pine nuts and diced almonds.