Djej Mahshi (Stuffed Chicken) with Freekeh | Your Lebanon

Ingredients

• 1 pound freekeh (about 2 cups, picked over, rinsed few times and drained)
• 4 cups chicken or beef stock or water is fine
• 4 tablespoons olive oil
• salt and pepper to taste
• 1 tsp allspice
• 1/4 tsp cinnamon
• 1/4 tsp cardamom
• Few grates of fresh nutmeg
• 1 bay leaf
• 1 pound ground meat (adding minced meat is optional, beef or lamb)
• 1/2 cup assorted dried fruits chopped into bite size pieces (I like to use apricots, figs, and currants or barberries)
• 1 cup assorted nuts (almonds, cashews, pine nuts, and pistachios are very common)
• 2 3-5 pound chickens (pat dry with a paper towel)
• 4 tbls olive oil plus more for roasting
• 1 tbls all spice
• 1/2 tsp nutmeg
• 1 tsp cardamom
• 1 tsp smoked paprika
• 1 tsp garlic powder
• salt and pepper
• 1 tsp cinnamon