Chicken with Spiced Bulgur Wheat and Apricot Stuffing
Photography by Aaron McLean.
Chicken loves bold flavours and this aromatic stuffing with apricots, currants and ras el hanout works a treat. A blend of Moroccan spices and widely used across North Africa, there is no definitive combination for ras el hanout, with each seller claiming their own secret blend to be the best. It’s available in good supermarkets and food stores, or use a Moroccan spice mix instead.
Serves: 4–6
INGREDIENTS
4 boneless chicken breasts, skin on
olive oil
2 teaspoons ras el hanout
Stuffing
1½ cups water
½ cup fine bulgur wheat
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 onion, finely chopped
2 cloves garlic, crushed
1½ teaspoons ras el hanout
¼ cup finely chopped apricots
¼ cup currants
2 tablespoons finely chopped flat-leaf parsley
sea salt and freshly ground pepper
METHOD
Preheat the oven to 180˚C.
Stuffing: Bring the water to the boil with a good pinch of salt then add the bulgur wheat. Cook for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally then tip into a bowl.
Heat the oil in a sauté pan and cook the onion with a pinch of salt until soft. Add the garlic, ras el hanout, apricots and currants and cook for 1 minute. Add to the bulgur wheat along with the parsley
and combine. Season and cool before stuffing the chicken.
Chicken: Cut each chicken breast open so it lies flat like a book, but don’t cut all the way through, leaving it attached on one side. Season with ras el hanout, salt and pepper. Divide the stuffing between the breasts, patting it on firmly, and fold the top back over. Don’t worry if some of it falls out, just add it to the pan later.
Lightly oil a baking dish large enough to hold the chicken in a single layer and place the chicken skin side up in the dish. Drizzle with a little olive oil then sprinkle with ras el hanout, salt and pepper. Pour a ¼ cup of water around the chicken and spoon any leftover stuffing around the chicken.
Roast for 30 minutes until the skin is crisp and golden and the chicken is cooked through. Cooking time will depend on the thickness of the chicken breasts.
Keep up to date with
dish weekly recipes,
food news, and events.
latest issue:
HOLIDAY
dish HOLIDAY is your go-to magazine for summer entertainment. Chock-full of recipes to share in the warmer weather dish HOLIDAY is a one-off special edition, designed for the beach, bach, boat or back yard. Different than a regular issue of dish, it is dedicated to making the most of warm-weather leisure time, including barbecue and salad recipes, Spotify playlists, a beach read, crosswords and puzzles, fish and chip and ice cream guides and much more.
This issue is not part of the 12-month subscription and is available only at retail in Aotearoa New Zealand.