Whole Stuffed Chicken

👨‍🍳 Method

To assemble

1. 1
   Pat the chicken dry with paper towels. Mix the oil, paprika, cumin, turmeric, salt and black pepper and rub the mixture into the chicken inside and out.

   💡Dry the chicken before seasoning so the mixture clings to the skin; a longer marinade gives deeper color and flavor.
2. 2
   Heat the oil in a wide pan over medium heat.

   ⚙ Pan-fryingStoveFrying pan
3. 3
   Add the onion and fry for 8–10 minutes, stirring, until the onion is soft and deep golden.

   ⚙ Adding to the hot fat and fryingStove

   💡Add by cooking time: what needs long (onion, carrot, meat) goes in first, and what burns fast (garlic, dry spices) goes in last, only until fragrant.
4. 4
   Raise the heat to medium-high and add the meat. Press it flat over the bottom and leave it for 2–3 minutes without stirring, until a brown crust forms.

   Stove

   💡Brown ground beef in the pot without pressing it: leave it as one 'cake' for a few minutes until a brown crust forms, then break it into chunks. Deep browning = deep flavor.
5. 5
   Break it up with a wooden spoon and fry for 8 more minutes, stirring, until no pink is left and the meat browns.

   StoveWooden spoon
6. 6
   Add the rice, pine nuts, cinnamon and salt to the meat in the skillet and stir.

   Stove
7. 7
   Add the stock and cook 10 minutes over medium heat, until the liquid is absorbed.

   Stove

   💡The rice goes into the chicken only half-cooked: it finishes cooking in the oven, inside the chicken.
8. 8
   Fill the cavity of the chicken with the stuffing.
9. 9
   Tie the chicken legs with kitchen twine.

   Kitchen twine
10. 10
    Preheat the oven to 200°C (390°F).

    ⚙ Preheating the OvenOven

    💡Put things in the oven only once it's reached temperature, after the heating light has gone off: an oven that hasn't reached temperature changes baking times, and the bake burns outside or stays underbaked.
11. 11
    Set the chicken on a rack over a baking pan, breast side up.

    Cooling rackBaking pan
12. 12
    Bake uncovered 30 minutes, until the chicken starts to turn golden. Lower the heat to 180°C (355°F) and bake 60–70 more minutes, until the chicken is golden and cooked through.

    ⚙ BakingOvenBaking pan

    💡Check by the cue (until…), not just the clock: every oven bakes a little differently.
13. 13
    Take out the chicken and let it rest 10 minutes, and only then carve.

    KnifeCutting board