Naturally Gluten Free Apricot Orange Chicken

An excellent recipe for Tu B'Shevat featuring fruits and nuts, what's more its really easy as you can use tinned apricots. My sister-in-law often makes this "for quickness" but does not stuff the chicken.

Not a gluten tainted thing in sight.
Serves 6-8 depending on your appetite

1 large roaster (about 3kilos - 7lbs)
One onion cut into quarters
8 carrots
2 large oranges
(6oz) of ground almonds (almond meal)
225g (4oz) quinoa soaked in double its volume of hot water then drained
or
225g (4oz) cooked rice
1 large egg
2 tbsp vegetable oil
225g (4oz) chopped onion
6 cloves garlic
Seasoning
Chopped hyssop if available
1 standard tin of apricots
Few flaked almonds to scatter over at the end

Zest the oranges. Squeeze oranges and pour half into a bowl for later. Mix together the orange zest, juice of one orange, almonds, quinoa or rice, oil, egg, onion and season to make a stuffing. Place this in the cavity of the chicken.

Open the tin of apricots and pour this into a roasting dish. Place the chicken, breast side down, surround with the carrot and onion and garlic. Cover.

Cook for 1 hour on 400ºF, 190ºC Fan, 205ºC, Gas Mark 6, Hot/quick oven. Remove the cover and turn the chicken so the breast is now facing up and pour over the reserved orange juice, sprinkle with the almonds and cook uncovered for a further 30 minutes.

Test with a skewer to see if the juices run clear , if they do not return to the oven for 10 minutes more and test again. Allow to rest for 10 minutes. You can pour off the juices and thicken with corn or tapioca starch if you wish.

To continue the colour theme serve with orange sweet potatoes but do add a green vegetable.

Orange Stuffed Chicken with Apricot Sauce