Whole Stuffed Chicken with homemade chicken stock

👨‍🍳 Method

For the homemade chicken stock ✓ Homemade · or skip – back to store-bought

1. 1
   Put the chicken, the onion, carrot, celery, parsley, bay leaves and peppercorns and the water in a pot and bring to a boil. Skim off the foam that rises during the first 15 minutes with a spoon.

   StovePot
2. 2
   Turn down and simmer gently 2.5–3 hours.

   Stove

   💡A gentle simmer, not a boil: a hard boil dries the food out and clouds it, a slow simmer cooks it evenly.
3. 3
   Strain the stock.

   Colander

To assemble

1. 4
   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. 5
   Heat the oil in a wide pan over medium heat.

   StoveFrying pan
3. 6
   Add the onion and fry for 8–10 minutes, stirring, until the onion is soft and deep golden.

   Stove

   💡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. 7
   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. 8
   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. 9
   Add the rice, pine nuts, cinnamon and salt to the meat in the skillet and stir.

   Stove
7. 10
   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. 11
   Fill the cavity of the chicken with the stuffing.
9. 12
   Tie the chicken legs with kitchen twine.

   Kitchen twine
10. 13
    Preheat the oven to 200°C (390°F).

    Oven

    💡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. 14
    Set the chicken on a rack over a baking pan, breast side up.

    Cooling rackBaking pan
12. 15
    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.

    OvenBaking pan

    💡Check by the cue (until…), not just the clock: every oven bakes a little differently.
13. 16
    Take out the chicken and let it rest 10 minutes, and only then carve.

    KnifeCutting board