SAFFRON BUTTER CHICKEN WITH DATE & COUSCOUS STUFFING

Saffron butter chicken with date & couscous stuffing image

Transform a simple roast chicken with a rich saffron butter and a sweet date and couscous stuffing. Serve with Greek yogurt and a green salad

Provided by Diana Henry

Time 2h

Number Of Ingredients 18

Ingredients

30g butter
1 small onion , finely chopped
2 garlic cloves , finely chopped
1 tsp ground cumin
½ tsp ground ginger
1 red chilli , halved, deseeded and chopped
150g couscous
250ml hot chicken stock
40g dates , pitted and chopped
30g dried barberries
25g walnuts , roughly chopped
10g coriander , chopped
10g parsley , chopped
8 spring onions , finely chopped
2kg whole chicken
Greek yogurt and green salad, to serve (optional)
30g unsalted butter
pinch of saffron threads

Steps:

Heat the oven to 200C/180C fan/gas 6. Melt half the butter in a pan over a medium heat and fry the onion until soft. Add the garlic, cumin, ginger and chilli, and cook for 2 mins more. Stir in the couscous, then pour over the stock and tip in the dates and barberries. Turn off the heat, cover and leave for 15 mins for the couscous to absorb the liquid.
Use a fork to stir the walnuts, herbs and spring onions through the couscous. Leave to cool.
Stuff the chicken with the cooled couscous mixture, pushing it well into the cavity. Let the excess spill out into the tin, then slide it under the chicken to act as a trivet. Rub the remaining butter all over the chicken. Season, then roast for 1 hr 15 mins. Keep an eye on it and if the couscous stuffing that's spilled out is getting too dark, cover it with foil.
To make the saffron butter, melt the unsalted butter, then add a generous pinch of saffron and let this sit for about 30 mins, to allow the butter to be properly infused. About 10 mins before the end of the cooking time, pour over the chicken. Serve with Greek yogurt and a green salad, if you like.

Nutrition Facts : Calories 660 calories, Fat 37 grams fat, SaturatedFat 14 grams saturated fat, Carbohydrate 28 grams carbohydrates, Sugar 9 grams sugar, Fiber 3 grams fiber, Protein 52 grams protein, Sodium 0.8 milligram of sodium