Whole Chicken Stuffed with Vine Leaves
Two beloved dishes become one: Chef Noor packs a whole chicken with rice-stuffed vine leaves, rubs it inside and out with a marinade of lemon, olive oil, garlic, tomato paste and spices, and roasts it until burnished — served over lettuce with pomegranate jewels.
How to Prepare
Whisk the lemon juice, olive oil, salt, pepper, mixed spice, crushed garlic and tomato paste into a marinade.
Rub the chicken with the marinade inside and out, and let it rest while you prepare the filling.
Fill the chicken cavity with the rolled stuffed vine leaves, packing them snugly.
Tie the legs, place the chicken in a roasting bag or covered dish, and roast at 200°C for about 75 minutes.
Uncover and brown for a final 15 minutes until the skin is burnished.
Rest briefly, open to reveal the vine leaves, and serve on a bed of lettuce with pomegranate seeds.
Pack the vine leaves tightly — they steam inside the chicken and absorb its juices, which is the whole magic of this dish.