Nigella’s Party Chicken

Believe me when I say that this post will make a lot of men happy. When my husband bought me Nigella Christmas: Food, Family, Friends, Festivities yesterday, I wasn't sure if he was buying me a present or succumbing to his own needs with this voluptuous collection of recipes to get through the holidays.

Turn to page 96 of the cookbook and you will see an embarrassingly easy recipe of Party Cornish Hens,  I chose it for today’s lunch. But with a plump whole chicken. I have retained Nigella Lawson’s ingredients, except for the Cornish hens, but changed the measurements to suit my chicken.

Ingredients for Nigella’s Party Chicken are:

1 whole chicken (about 1.5 kg)
One-fourth cup olive oil (She also suggests the chile oil option)
One teaspoon ground cinnamon
One teaspoon paprika
1 tablespoon sugar
1 head garlic, cloves separated, keep unpeeled
1 lime, halved and cut into wedges
Salt

Preheat oven to 375°F. Make a dry rub with the sugar, cinnamon, paprika and salt. Rub the whole chicken with it, getting the insides coated well.

Sit the chicken snugly in a baking tray. Pour the olive oil over the chicken. Tuck the limes (you can use lemons too) and the cloves of garlic around and in between the bird.

Cook the chicken for one hour and 15 minutes, till the juices run clear. I start with the face down first and turn each side, giving about 15 minutes to all the four sides. I end with the breast-side up.
Serve the carved chicken with the charred pieces of lime and garlic cloves. I did some quick potato wedges too.

Nigella suggests some couscous salad too. Here are a few couscous salads I have done in the past. This one with fresh parsley, or this one with baby arugula, shrimps, etc. Or try this Moroccan-inspired couscous salad, which looks rather festive too.

Thank you, Goddess of Easy Extravagance. I am all set to make my man happy with your time saver recipes this December.