Lemon Roast Chicken With Pilaf

Total Time: 1 hr 40 mins Preparation Time: 10 mins Cook Time: 1 hr 30 mins

Ingredients

• Servings: 1
• 1 free-range chicken (approx 1.8kg)
• 1 whole lemon
• 1 teaspoon extra virgin olive oil
• salt and pepper
• 1 -2 sprig fresh rosemary (or 1/2tsp dried)
• 1 1/2 cups long grain rice
• 2 cups hot chicken stock
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 teaspoon butter
• 1 small onion, finely chopped
• 1 pinch ground cinnamon
• 2 cloves
• 2 -3 tablespoons pistachio nuts, chopped
• 2 -3 tablespoons currants

Recipe

• 1 chicken: mix lemon juice and oil, salt and pepper.
• 2 rub mixture over chicken and in cavity.
• 3 put squeezed out lemon halves in chicken cavity and sprigs of rosemary (or dried).
• 4 roast breast side down in oven at 200oc until almost cooked.
• 5 turn over and allow to finish breast side up.
• 6 let chicken rest for 10 to 15 minutes before carving.
• 7 pilaf: wash rice and drain.
• 8 in a frying pan over low/medium heat cook the onion in oil and butter for five minutes.
• 9 add the rice, stirring with a metal spoon and allow to brown a little.
• 10 turn down the heat and add hot stock, cloves and cinnamon.
• 11 stir in well, cover and leave to simmer for 15-20 minutes.
• 12 when rice is cooked add chopped pistachios and whole currents.
• 13 serve chicken on rice with lemony pan juices from the chicken.