Baked Chicken with Spiced Yoghurt & Pumpkin Pilaf

Recipes & food styling Fiona Smith / Photography Aaron McLean / Styling Fiona Lascelles

	3 tablespoons olive oil
	3 tablespoons butter
	2 onions, sliced
	80ml plain yoghurt
	1 teaspoon cumin seeds, ground
	1 teaspoon coriander seeds, ground
	2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh thyme (or 2 teaspoons dried thyme or oregano)
	4 cloves garlic, crushed
	½-1 teaspoon salt
	1 size 14-16 whole chicken
	1 lemon
	1½ cups brown basmati rice, rinsed
	800g pumpkin, cut in 2cm cubes
	750ml (3 cups) chicken stock, hot
	1 teaspoon paprika or sumac, or a mix of both
	¼ cup toasted nuts (pistachio or almond), chopped

1.	Heat the oven to 180°C.
2.	Heat 2 tablespoons of the olive oil and 1 tablespoon of the butter in a large heavy-based casserole over a medium/high heat and fry the onions, stirring, until deep golden – about 15 minutes.
3.	While they cook, whisk together the yoghurt, cumin, coriander, thyme or oregano, garlic and remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil and ½ teaspoon salt. Set aside.
4.	Loosen the skin of the chicken by running your hands between the skin and flesh.
5.	Smear the yoghurt mixture over the chicken, mostly under the skin but also a little over the top.
6.	Using a small, sharp knife, pierce the lemon several times then stuff it into the chicken cavity.
7.	When the onions are cooked, stir in the rice then push the rice to the sides and nestle the chicken in the middle.
8.	Scatter the pumpkin pieces around the chicken and pour over the stock (if your stock is unsalted, sprinkle with a little salt).
9.	Sprinkle over the sumac and/or paprika. Cover and bake for 1¼ hours or until the chicken is cooked through.
10.	Melt the 2 remaining tablespoons of butter and pour over the chicken and rice.
11.	Allow to rest for 10 minutes then scatter with nuts before serving.