Aromatic Rice-Stuffed Roast Chicken

1. Prepare the Marinade

In a bowl, mix olive oil, lemon juice, salt, freshly ground pepper, ground cumin, and ground garam masala. Pat the chicken dry with a cloth or paper towel and apply three-fourths of the marinade generously over the entire chicken. Let it sit at room temperature for about two hours.

2. Preheat the Oven

Preheat your oven to 450°F.

3. Prepare the Stuffing

In an electric blender, combine the coarsely chopped onion, garlic, ginger, tomatoes, ground coriander, and ground cumin to create a smooth paste.

4. Cook the Paste

Heat vegetable oil in a skillet over medium heat, and when the oil is hot, fry the mustard seeds and whole cumin seeds until they pop, which should take about 15 to 30 seconds. Add the blended paste to the skillet and cook it for about 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until it browns and the oil starts to separate from the mixture.

5. Mix the Stuffing

Once the paste is ready, mix it with the cooked rice and add salt to taste.

6. Stuff the Chicken

Stuff the chicken cavity with the aromatic rice mixture. Truss the chicken to ensure even cooking and to keep the stuffing secure inside.

7. Roast the Chicken

Place the chicken breast side up in an ovenproof baking dish. Roast the chicken at 450°F for 20 minutes. Then, reduce the oven temperature to 350°F and continue roasting for about one hour. During roasting, baste the chicken every 5 minutes initially with the remaining marinade and its own juices, then every 10 minutes. The chicken is done when the leg moves easily at the socket.

8. Rest the Chicken

Once roasted, let the chicken rest for 15 minutes on a warm platter, allowing the juices to redistribute throughout the meat.