Indian Spiced Apricot & Almond Stuffed Roast Chicken
Experience the rich and aromatic flavors of traditional Indian cuisine with this exquisite roast chicken, infused with fragrant spices and packed with a delightful stuffing of apricots, ground almonds, and hard-boiled eggs. This dish is not simply a curried chicken, but a celebration of age-old Indian roasting techniques that elevate the flavor profile of the entire meal. Served with a luscious masala gravy and complemented by your choice of spiced vegetables, this stuffed roast chicken makes for an impressive centerpiece that is sure to delight your guests at any gathering.
N/A
Servings
N/A
Calories
21
Ingredients
Ingredients
whole chicken
3 lb (cleaned and patted dry)
saffron
1 teaspoon (soaked in warm milk)
ground nutmeg
1 teaspoon (mixed with saffron)
warm milk
1 tablespoon (for saffron infusion)
butter
2 ounces (melted)
large onion
1 (chopped)
hard-boiled eggs
2 (chopped)
dried apricot
1/3 cup (soaked until soft and chopped)
fresh green chilies
2 (chopped)
sultanas
1/3 cup (added to onion mixture)
ground almonds
1/2 cup (added to stuffing)
white poppy seeds
1/4 cup (ground)
spring onions
4 (chopped)
garlic cloves
3 (crushed and chopped)
five-spice powder
1 teaspoon (added to masala)
green cardamoms
6 (split open)
turmeric
1/2 teaspoon (added to masala)
black pepper
1 teaspoon (ground)
plain yogurt
2 tablespoons (optional for garnish)
water
5 fluid ounces (added to masala)
desiccated coconut
1/2 cup (for garnish)
Instructions
1
In a small bowl, combine the saffron and nutmeg with warm milk. Brush the mixture generously over the chicken skin, ensuring even coverage. Pour the remaining milk mixture into the chicken cavity for added moisture.
2
In a large skillet, melt the butter over medium heat. Once melted and bubbling, carefully add the chicken and brown it on all sides, about 5-7 minutes total. Remove the chicken from the skillet and set aside.
3
In the same skillet, add the chopped onions, green chilies, and sultanas. Sauté for about 3 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the onions become translucent. Remove the skillet from the heat.
4
To the sautéed onion mixture, add ground almonds, poppy seeds, chopped apricots, and chopped hard-boiled eggs. Mix everything well to create a cohesive stuffing.
5
Stuff the chicken cavity with the prepared mixture, ensuring it's packed but not too tight. Secure the cavity with kitchen twine or skewers if necessary.
6
In the same skillet, add all the masala ingredients (garlic, five-spice powder, split cardamoms, turmeric, and ground black pepper) and sauté over low heat for about 4 minutes until fragrant. Stir in the water to create a sauce.
7
Place the stuffed chicken breast-side up on a bed of the masala sauce in the skillet. Cover the skillet and cook over medium heat for approximately 1 hour and 15 minutes, or until the chicken is fully cooked and tender.
8
Once cooked, transfer the chicken to a serving platter. Pour the aromatic masala gravy over the chicken and garnish with desiccated coconut. Serve hot with spiced vegetables of your choice.
Nutrition Information
Frequently Asked Questions
Frequently Asked Questions
What is Indian Spiced Apricot & Almond Stuffed Roast Chicken?
It is an exquisite roast chicken infused with fragrant spices and a stuffing of apricots, ground almonds, and hard-boiled eggs, served with a masala gravy.
What size chicken is required for this recipe?
The recipe calls for a 3 lb whole chicken that has been cleaned and patted dry.
How is the chicken skin flavored before cooking?
The skin is brushed with a mixture of one teaspoon of saffron and one teaspoon of ground nutmeg combined with warm milk.
What are the primary ingredients in the stuffing?
The stuffing consists of onions, green chilies, sultanas, ground almonds, white poppy seeds, chopped dried apricots, and chopped hard-boiled eggs.
How do you prepare the saffron for the recipe?
One teaspoon of saffron should be soaked in one tablespoon of warm milk before being mixed with nutmeg.
What is the first step in cooking the chicken?
After brushing the skin with the saffron mixture, you brown the whole chicken in melted butter in a large skillet for about 5-7 minutes.
How long does it take to sauté the onion mixture for the stuffing?
The onions, green chilies, and sultanas should be sautéed for approximately 3 minutes until the onions are translucent.
How many hard-boiled eggs are used in the stuffing?
The recipe requires two chopped hard-boiled eggs.
What should I do with the remaining milk mixture after brushing the skin?
The remaining milk mixture should be poured into the chicken cavity for added moisture.
How should the dried apricots be prepared?
The dried apricots (1/3 cup) should be soaked until soft and then chopped before being added to the stuffing.
What ingredients make up the masala sauce?
The masala sauce is made from garlic, five-spice powder, split green cardamoms, turmeric, ground black pepper, and water.
How many green cardamoms are used?
The recipe uses six green cardamoms, which should be split open before sautéing.
What is the total cooking time for the chicken in the skillet?
The stuffed chicken should cook covered over medium heat for approximately 1 hour and 15 minutes.
How should the chicken be positioned in the skillet for roasting?
The chicken should be placed breast-side up on a bed of the masala sauce.
What garnish is recommended for this dish?
The dish is garnished with 1/2 cup of desiccated coconut, and optionally, plain yogurt.
What should I serve with this stuffed roast chicken?
It is best served hot with spiced vegetables of your choice.
How much butter is needed for browning?
The recipe requires 2 ounces of butter.
What type of poppy seeds are used in the stuffing?
The recipe uses 1/4 cup of ground white poppy seeds.
How much water is added to the masala sauce?
5 fluid ounces of water are added to create the sauce.
What heat level is used to sauté the masala ingredients?
The masala ingredients should be sautéed over low heat for about 4 minutes until fragrant.
Are there any specific preparation instructions for the garlic?
The three garlic cloves should be crushed and chopped.
How many spring onions are used?
The recipe uses four chopped spring onions.
What is the measurement for the ground almonds?
1/2 cup of ground almonds is added to the stuffing mixture.
What kind of pepper is used in the masala?
One teaspoon of ground black pepper is used.
How much turmeric is included in the recipe?
1/2 teaspoon of turmeric is added to the masala.
How many green chilies are included?
Two fresh green chilies, chopped, are used in the onion mixture.
Should the chicken be covered during the roasting process?
Yes, the skillet should be covered while the chicken cooks over medium heat.
What should I use to secure the chicken cavity?
You can use kitchen twine or skewers to secure the cavity once it is stuffed.
What is the amount of five-spice powder used?
One teaspoon of five-spice powder is added to the masala mixture.
Is this a spicy dish?
The dish is aromatic and fragrant with green chilies and spices, but can be adjusted to your preference by managing the chili content.