Roast Chicken with Wild Rice Stuffing

1/2 cup chopped onion
3/4 cup long-grain and wild rice blend
1 garlic clove, minced
1½ cups water
1/3 cup chopped dried figs
1½ tbsp. pine nuts, toasted
3/4 tsp. salt, divided
3-3/4-lbs. whole roasting chicken
2 tsp. margarine, softened
3/4 tsp. cumin
1/2 tsp. coriander
1/2 tsp. crushed red pepper
1/4 tsp. cinnamon


Heat a nonstick saucepan over medium-high heat. Coat pan with cooking spray.
Add onion to pan; sauté 4 minutes. Add rice and garlic to pan; sauté 1 minute.
Add water to pan; bring to a boil. Cover, reduce heat, and simmer 20 minutes
or until rice is almost tender. Stir in figs, nuts, and 1/4 tsp. salt.

Remove and discard giblets and neck from chicken; trim excess fat. Starting at
neck cavity, loosen skin from breasts and drumsticks by inserting fingers,
gently pushing between skin and meat.

Combine remaining salt, margarine, and remaining ingredients in a small bowl.
Rub seasoning mixture under loosened skin and over breasts and drumsticks.
Stuff rice mixture in chicken cavity. Tie ends of legs together with twine.
Lift wing tips up and over back; tuck under chicken. Place chicken, breast
side up, on a rack coated with cooking spray; place rack in a roasting pan.

Bake at 375° for 40 minutes. Increase oven temperature to 450°, and bake an
additional 20 minutes or until a thermometer inserted in the meaty part of
thigh registers 170°. Remove chicken from pan; let stand 15 minutes.
Remove skin from chicken; discard. Carve chicken, and serve with stuffing.

4 servings