Roast chicken with couscous & pine nut stuffing

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Good Food

6 ratings

Everyone would make this again

Recipe by Good Food

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1. Put couscous in a large heatproof bowl, pour over stock, then cover with cling film for 5 mins until liquid is absorbed. Melt half the butter in a pan, then gently cook onion and garlic for 5-8 mins until soft. Set aside. Dry-fry pine nuts for a few mins until golden. Combine onions, pine nuts, apricots and herbs with couscous. Add a good squeeze of lemon juice, season, then stir in egg. Leave to cool.
2. Using the back of a knife, stretch rashers to 1½ times their original length. Lay, slightly overlapping, on a large sheet of foil to form a rectangle. Make a few slashes in the thickest part of each chicken breast and lay between 2 sheets of cling film. Use the base of a heavy pan to bash the chicken until about 1cm thick. Arrange chicken over the bacon, fitting so there are no gaps, but leave a border on longer sides. (This helps to roll up the chicken.)
3. Spoon stuffing over chicken in a strip along one of the longest sides. Using tin foil to help, roll bacon and chicken around stuffing like a log. Wrap tightly in foil, twisting the ends to secure, then chill for 2 hrs or up to 1 day.
4. Heat oven to 180C/fan 160C/gas 4. Place chicken, join-side down, in a roasting tray. Cook for 30 mins, then unwrap foil and brush roast with remaining butter. Cook, uncovered, for 20-30 mins more until cooked through, and the stuffing is hot (a metal skewer inserted into the chicken's centre should come out hot). Cool and wrap in fresh foil to transport.

Per serving

348 kcalories, protein 26.3g, carbohydrate 16g, fat 20 g, saturated fat 7g, fibre 2g, salt 1.32 g

'The chicken was simple to prepare and the chutney added a subtle kick. The quantities for the potato salad and greens were spot on. The cake's flavours worked really well together and the coconut added an unusual texture.'

Latest comments and suggestions

• bagpuss

  27 November 2007

  bagpuss rated and commented on this recipe

  

  This is fab! I cooked it for 10 people for a dinner party and served it with creamy potato gratin and green beans with chilli..it looked very impressive when it came out of the oven. I cooked it for longer so the bacon was very crispy on the outside and the whole thing sliced very well up to the end (which went a bit off the rails!) I'd definitely do this again.

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• Mrs Moz Jnr

  31 December 2007

  Mrs Moz Jnr commented on this recipe

  I made this for a dinner party, everyone enjoyed it and two friends have since asked for the receipe. As mentioned above it is really nice cold the following day...if it lasts that long.

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• Alison Wyld

  22 May 2008

  Alison Wyld rated and commented on this recipe

  

  This is a fantastic recipe, and now one of my standards both for summer entertaining and for "bring a dish" type events. I particularly like the fact that all the work is done in advance. Also it has quite a wow-factor. One minor niggle - I ALWAYS have stuffing leftover. I guess I'm not hitting my chicken enough!

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• RichCat

  21 June 2008

  RichCat rated and commented on this recipe

  

  I made this for an evening picnic, served with a rocket salad and with the excess stuffing. Everyone was impressed with the look and loved the different flavours too, and it's so easy to make. I will be making it again soon.

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• Kezzie

  03 August 2008

  Kezzie rated and commented on this recipe

  

  I made this for a casual family gathering and it went down really well. I did substitute the apricots for roasted red peppers however as some guests do not like them. It was delicious all the same. I served with a tomato and rockets salad and the Jabron potatoes (Good Food)

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• emma

  17 August 2008

  emma rated and commented on this recipe

  

  Fantastic dish. Easy to prepare and very impressive looking. The stuffing is also great used as a salad, but exclude the egg. Slices well. great hot or cold.

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• Robyn

  01 September 2008

  Robyn rated and commented on this recipe

  

  Alot easier than I had expected. Sort of fun to make in a strange way! I didnt roll it properly as the bacon began to come apart at the join- but this didnt spoil it at all (just looked like a pacman eating the stuffing.) My mum hates cous cous but loved this. I served with roast potatoes, peas and green beans. Yum!!!

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Ingredients

• 100g couscous
• 175ml boiling chicken stock
• 50g butter
• 1 onion , finely chopped
• 1 garlic clove , crushed
• 100g pine nuts
• 140g dried apricots , roughly chopped
• large handful parsley , roughly chopped
• 2 tbsp mint leaves, roughly chopped
• 1 lemon
• 1 egg , beaten
• 6 skinless chicken breasts
• 16 rashers streaky bacon

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Difficulty and servings

Serves 8

Preperation and cooking times

Prep 40 mins

Cook min 1 hr 10 mins

Ingredients

• 100g couscous
• 175ml boiling chicken stock
• 50g butter
• 1 onion , finely chopped
• 1 garlic clove , crushed
• 100g pine nuts
• 140g dried apricots , roughly chopped
• large handful parsley , roughly chopped
• 2 tbsp mint leaves, roughly chopped
• 1 lemon
• 1 egg , beaten
• 6 skinless chicken breasts
• 16 rashers streaky bacon

Per serving

348 kcalories, protein 26.3g, carbohydrate 16g, fat 20 g, saturated fat 7g, fibre 2g, salt 1.32 g

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