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A lovely change from the usual roast chicken Sunday lunch. Freekeh has been hailed as the new ‘supergrain’, even though it has been around for thousands of years! It makes a very different and welcome change to normal stuffings, as it is nuttier in texture and combines well with herbs and almost any ingredient you want to stuff your chicken with. Freekeh is a ‘powerhouse’ of nutrients, can be used in salads, soups, pilafs and stews, so it is worth trying to include it in your weekly meal plans. Here is a recipe suggestion, but please do experiment. Try using it as a substitute for rice, it does work.

Serves: 4
Preparation Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 1 hr 30 minutes

INGREDIENTS:

For the chicken
1 large free range chicken
3 tbsp maple syrup
2 tsp mild mustard
1 tbsp olive oil

For the stuffing
3½ oz freekeh, cooked
½ orange, peeled and cut into small pieces
½ onion, finely chopped
2 tbsp fresh parsley, finely chopped
2 garlic cloves, crushed
Handful of dried cranberries
1 tsp dried cinnamon
Seasoning to taste

METHOD:

Heat oven to 180°C/350°F/Gas mark 4.

In a bowl, mix together all the stuffing ingredients and add seasoning to taste. If too dry, add a little water.

Make sure the chicken is clean both outside and inside the cavity. Wipe dry with paper towel.

Fill the chicken with the stuffing mix and tie the legs together to prevent too much spilling out. If there is any remaining stuffing, place in a dish, cover with foil and set aside.

Mix the olive oil, maple syrup and mustard together, and rub all over the chicken.

Roast the chicken for 1 hour and 20 minutes. Test to see if cooked through by inserting the tip of a sharp knife just above the leg – the juices should run clear.

Any remaining stuffing can be placed in the oven in the covered dish and cooked for about 20 minutes.

Serve the chicken cut into slices or joints with perhaps some roasted carrots and parsnips.