Whole Roasted Red Curry Chicken with Saffron Rice

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2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil

1 1/2 cups diced white onion

3 tbsp red curry paste

2 tbsp lemongrass paste

1 1/2 tbsp minced garlic

1 1/2 tbsp minced fresh ginger

1 whole chicken

1 lime, cut into quarters

1 cup chicken broth

1 can coconut milk

2 tsp fish sauce

1 tbsp red curry paste

8 oz green beans

1 sliced red bell pepper

8 oz white mushrooms, sliced

2 cups chicken broth

1 cup basmati rice

1 large pinch of saffron

Flakey sea salt — to taste

To serve: sliced green onion, cilantro

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Heat olive oil in a medium-large dutch oven. Add the onion, curry paste, lemongrass paste, garlic, and ginger. Sauté for roughly 5 minutes, until fragrant and onions are soft. Place 1/2 lime into the cavity of the chicken. Brush chicken with curry mixture, making sure to get all sides, then place chicken into the dutch oven. Cover and place in the oven for 1 hour. Remove from oven and baste with juices around chicken. Return to oven and cook for another 30 minutes.

Remove chicken from the oven and carefully remove it from the dutch oven. Place onto a large cutting board. Loosely cover with aluminum foil to rest. Meanwhile, place the dutch oven (full of juices from the chicken) on a burner over medium-high heat. Add the chicken broth, coconut milk, fish sauce, and curry paste. Simmer for 5 minutes. Then, stir in the green beans, bell pepper, and mushrooms. Bring back to a high simmer and let cook another 10 minutes. Sauce should reduce and thicken.

While the sauce and veggies are cooking, prepare the rice by bringing chicken broth to a boil. Stir in the basmati rice and saffron, cover, and reduce to a simmer. Let cook for approximately 12 minutes, until liquid has evaporated and rice is soft. Stir in flaky salt to taste.

Serve the carved chicken in wide rimmed bowls (like a pasta bowl) with rice on the side. Spoon over lots of sauce and veggies! Top with green onions and cilantro.