Whole Roasted Chermoula Chicken
By Salima Benkhalti
Whole Roasted Chermoula Chicken
By Salima Benkhalti
For the Chermoula Chicken:
For the Veggies:
- 5 cloves garlic
- 2 teaspoons salt
- 2 tablespoons parsley, minced finely
- 2 tablespoons cilantro, minced finely
- 1 preserved lemon, minced
- 2 teaspoons ras el hanout (or ½ teaspoon each of paprika, cumin, ginger, salt, and pepper)
- ⅓ cup olive oil
- 1 whole chicken
- ¼ cup water
For the Veggies:
- 1 head of garlic, halved
- 1 lemon, halved
- 10-15 baby potatoes
Make the chermoula marinade. Add garlic and salt to a mortar & pestle and mash until a paste is formed. Add herbs, preserved lemon, ras el hanout, and olive oil and mix to combine.
Prep the vegetables. Toss the veggies in a bowl with a few tablespoons of the chermoula marinade. Squeeze one of the lemon halves over the vegetables. Arrange the marinated veggies on the bottom of a Dutch oven.
Prep the chicken. Preheat your oven to 400°F. Pat the chicken dry with paper towels before coating with the chermoula marinade. Make sure to coat the bird on all sides, under the skin, and inside. Stuff the chicken with the halved garlic and a section of lemon before tying the legs together using kitchen twine. Place on top of veggies, breast side up. Pour water over the surrounding veggies to prevent any burning.
Bake covered for 30 minutes then bake uncovered for another half hour (or until the chicken reaches an internal temperature of 165°F and the juices run clear).
Broil for a few minutes to get the skin crispy if desired.
Let it rest. Give the chicken 15 minutes to rest before slicing and serving with fresh herbs and lemon. Cover it to keep it warm or leave it uncovered for a crispier skin.
Prep the vegetables. Toss the veggies in a bowl with a few tablespoons of the chermoula marinade. Squeeze one of the lemon halves over the vegetables. Arrange the marinated veggies on the bottom of a Dutch oven.
Prep the chicken. Preheat your oven to 400°F. Pat the chicken dry with paper towels before coating with the chermoula marinade. Make sure to coat the bird on all sides, under the skin, and inside. Stuff the chicken with the halved garlic and a section of lemon before tying the legs together using kitchen twine. Place on top of veggies, breast side up. Pour water over the surrounding veggies to prevent any burning.
Bake covered for 30 minutes then bake uncovered for another half hour (or until the chicken reaches an internal temperature of 165°F and the juices run clear).
Broil for a few minutes to get the skin crispy if desired.
Let it rest. Give the chicken 15 minutes to rest before slicing and serving with fresh herbs and lemon. Cover it to keep it warm or leave it uncovered for a crispier skin.