Festive Glazed Roast Chicken with Quinoa, Pistachio and Apricot Stuffing

Method

1. Preheat oven to 200C. Take the chicken out and rub all over with salt and pepper.
2. Rinse quinoa well until water runs clear - this step is important as it removes bitterness from the quinoa. Combine with chicken stock and bring to a boil, then reduce heat. If the liquid boils off faster than you'd like, feel free to add a little more stock as needed. Cook until quinoa is tender and liquid has been absorbed (about 10 mins or follow the instructions on your quinoa packet).
3. While the quinoa is cooking, slice up the dried apricots into small pieces and pop into some water to soak. Chop up the pistachios into small chunks.
4. Drain the apricots, then combine quinoa, apricots and parsley and mix through. Season with a squeeze of lemon and salt and pepper to taste.
5. Stuff chicken with quinoa mix (there may be a bit leftover, which you can serve alongside the chook or save to serve on the side of your next meal). Close up the cavity with toothpicks and tie up the legs of the chicken with cooking twine to keep all the stuffing inside the cavity.
6. Pop onto an oven tray and bake for between 1 and 1 and a half hours depending on your oven (it will be done once a meat thermometer reads 70C+ in the thickest part of the breast).
7. While the chook is in the oven, melt a chunk of butter over low heat. Add maple syrup and a bit of lemon to taste, plus any little bits of leftover dried apricot you may have. Allow this mixture to thicken slightly, then remove from heat. Use this mixture to glaze the chook periodically through the cooking process, starting from about 20 - 30 mins in.
8. Rest the chicken for at least 15 mins, then carve and serve. Yum!