Stress makes me even better at picking and choosing quick and easy and recipes that knock my guests off their chairs, if my kids or cat haven’t gotten to them first.

This recipe is a family favorite we often enjoy on Fridays, when we try to gather as a family, or legally have people over (Covid-19, no one will miss you).
In terms of ingredients, this might look basic, but let me tell you, this stuffed chicken has that elusive biochemical composition of a winning recipe. Easy to prepare, few ingredients and a finger licking result.

Winner.

Ingredients:

One whole chicken
1 1/2 cups white rice (I like basmati )
1/2 cup cranberries
1/2 cup pine nuts/sliced almonds
Salt and pepper
Olive oil
Date molasses (so good!) or honey
Soy sauce
A pinch of paprika

Preparation:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit (or 180 degrees Celsius).

Meanwhile, cook rice. I cook mine just like pasta, in a big pot full of boiling salted water until al- dente. Strain the rice, salt and pepper generously, add cranberries and nuts and mix well.

In a bowl, mix equal quantities of olive oil, date molasses (or honey) and soy sauce. A few tablespoons of each. I pour straight from the bottle and so can you. Add Paprika for color.

Line a large pan with foil. Take a second sheet of aluminum foil and place over the pan. Put a third sheet on top of it and place chicken on top. Spread oil mixture all over the chicken, including under the skin.

Using a spoon, fill chicken cavity with the rice mixture and place what is left around the chicken on the foil. Wrap the chicken tightly and close it with the third sheet. Squeeze the edges of the second sheet around the wrapped chicken until a kind of bowl is formed around it.

Place in preheated oven for an hour and five minutes. Remove the top foil and roast the chicken for another twenty minutes until nicely browned. You can also broil it for a minute or two if you like it crispy. Remove the chicken from the oven and let it rest for about ten minutes.

Enjoy the compliments.