Christmas stuffed roast chicken

This roast chicken from Janelle Bloom is perfect for Christmas, with a delicious stuffing packed with raisins and pistachios.

Serves 8.

Ingredients

250g packet SunRice Microwave long grain rice

150g rindless bacon, chopped

⅓ cup pistachio nuts, toasted, chopped

½ cup dried craisins

¾ cup grated tasty cheese

¼ cup flat-leaf parsley, chopped

4 green onions, chopped

3 tablespoons olive oil

2 lemons, halved

2x2kg fresh chicken, cleaned

Method

1. Preheat oven to 200°C fan forced. Tip the rice into a large bowl, use your fingers to separate the grains. Put the bacon into a frying pan over medium heat, cook, stirring often for 3-4 minutes until light golden. Add to the rice with pistachio nuts, craisins, cheese, parsley, green onions, 2 tablespoons of the oil and juice of 1 lemon. Season well with salt and pepper, mix well.

2. Spoon rice mixture into cavity of the chickens, tie legs together to secure. Rub chickens all over with remaining oil, season well.

3. Put side by side into a lightly grease large roasting pan with the remaining lemon. Roast, for 1¼-1½ hours or until cooked through.

4. Stand for 15 minutes before carving and serving.

Tips

Cooking your own chicken is way cheaper (and much nicer) than purchasing the barbecue variety.

When you go to buy your chickens always compare the fresh price with the frozen one, often one is far cheaper than the other.

If you purchase frozen chickens, remove them from the wrapper and place onto a tray, allow 1-2 days to thaw in the fridge.