Roast chicken with autumn fruits and quinoa

If you have seen my last recipe on 3 step roast chicken, you may be keen on this one. It is same same but somewhat different.

 

I really do like this version from Diana Henry. It is very much comfort food and best of all, super easy that you need not fuss too much about it. Perfect for a lazy day or when you want to have homecooked food but yet, not do too much. See my modifications/comments in blue.

 

Ingredients:

 

1 teaspoon dry mixed herbs I used Nomu's Moroccan Rub

2 tablespoons butter, softened You may also use olive oil

1 whole chicken, washed and cleaned (even the cavity)

Salt and pepper to taste

2 small apples, cored and cut into wedges I used 1 Fuji apple

2 plums, stoned and cut into wedges I used 3 small plums

1 medium yellow onion, cut into wedges

1 tablespoon olive oil

 

1 cup quinoa This may be too much for 2 pax so probably 3 pax as quinoa does 'expand' after cooking

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 tablespoon butter, softened

2 garlic cloves, crushed

2 cups hot water (I used 1 cup water and 1 cup chicken stock and boil them)

 

Method:

1. Preheat oven to 180°C.
2. Mix dry herbs Moroccan Rub and butter together. Carefully lift the skin off the chicken thighs and stuff with some of the herb-ed butter. Season the outside with salt and pepper to taste. Lower the temperature to 170°C. Put the chicken in a roasting pan and roast for 30 minutes.
3. Toss all the fruits and onions together in a bowl with salt, pepper, and olive oil. Remove the chicken from the oven and put the fruit and onions around the chicken. Stir the fruit around to coat in the cooking juices. Dot with remaining butter and return to the oven for a further 30 minutes, turning the fruit once during this cooking time. Turn the chicken to the other side to brown it as well.
4. Start making the quinoa 20 minutes before the chicken is ready. Put it in a sieve, wash well and drain. Heat up oil in a sauce pan; add butter and garlic. Gently saute until soft. Add the quinoa and stir until well coated in oil. Add water and chicken stock seasoning and cook for 20 minutes, until the grains are soft. Cover for 5 minutes, then fluff up with a fork. Don't fret if you see your pot totally reduced of any liquid. It should be this way.
5. Serve the chicken on a warm platter surrounded by fruits and quinoa.

 

 

Truth be told, Mr G wasn't too fond of the stone fruits but he did like the fact they made the chicken taste abit sweeter but yet still retains its savoury flavour. But what surprised me was he literally finished the whole plate of quinoa and I had only a 1/4 of the whole portion. So you can imagine how flavourful and yummy the quinoa tastes. Do try this if you don't want to cook a lot.

I'm submitting this post to I Heart Cooking Clubs - March Potluck.

I'm also submitting this to Bake Along organized by Zoe of Bake for Happy Kids, Lena from Frozen wings and Joyce of kitchenflavours.

I'm also submitting this to Cooking with Herbs - March - Easter and Spring organized by Karen of Lavender and Lovage.