I have made this roast chicken recipe for many dinner parties and it’s always a hit. The stuffing is full of nuts and dried fruits and it really looks good on the table. I especially cherish a memory of when my dear friend Coco’s son, Ramzi, was visiting. He was six at the time. I made this chicken and he ate and ate and savored every morsel. Then he said, “This is the best chicken I ever tasted, can you give my mum the recipe?” Well here it is, and in my heart it will always be Ramzi’s Roast Chicken.

4–6 servings

INGREDIENTS

• One 5–6 lb chicken
• 3 Tbsp vegetable oil
• 1 Onion, diced
• 10 oz Ground lamb
• 1 tsp Cinnamon
• 1 tsp Allspice
• Salt and pepper
• 1 cup Short-grain white rice, presoaked, drained
• 3 cups Chicken stock
• ½ cup Chopped pistachios, toasted
• ½ cup Pine nuts, toasted
• ½ cup Slivered almonds, toasted
• ½ cup Dried apricots, coarsely chopped
• ½ cup Dried pomegranate seeds
• 2 Tbsp Vegetable oil
• 1 tsp Cinnamon
• 1 tsp Paprika
• Salt and pepper
• Kitchen twine to tie the legs
• ¾ cup Stock or water
• Fresh pomegranate seeds, to garnish

BRINE BROTH FOR CHICKEN:

• 3 cinnamon sticks
• 2 bay leaves
• Strips of zest of 1 orange
• ½ cup salt
• ½ cup sugar
• ½ cup honey
• Enough water to immerse the whole chicken

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Start the brining process the night before. Mix all of the ingredients for the brine in a large enough bowl to accommodate the chicken and make room in the fridge to keep overnight.
2. When you are ready to stuff the chicken, take it out of the brine and pat it dry.
3. To make the filling, heat the oil in a large frying pan and sauté the onion until soft.
4. Add the lamb and stir until it browns. Sprinkle in the spices, salt and pepper.
5. Stir in the rice. Pour in the chicken stock and allow it to come to a boil.
6. Reduce the heat to a simmer, add some of the nuts and fruits, leaving some for garnish.
7. Cover and leave to cook for 10 minutes. The rice will finish cooking in the oven. Uncover and put aside to cool completely.
8. Preheat the oven to 400°F.
9. Spoon as much of the stuffing that will fit loosely in the cavity of the chicken.
10. Reserve the rest of the filling to finish cooking later.
11. Rub the whole chicken with 2 Tbsp oil, cinnamon, paprika, salt and pepper.
12. Tuck back the wings behind the neck and tie the legs together with the kitchen twine.
13. Place in a big enough roasting pan.
14. Bake in a preheated oven until done, for approximately 1 hour.
15. To finish cooking the remaining stuffing, add in a little more stock or water, cover and leave to simmer about 10 minutes more until the rice is done.
16. Garnish with fresh pomegranate seeds and serve alongside the roast chicken.