Harissa Roasted Chicken

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Posted on April 1, 2013
As ingredients go, Harissa is the sort of thing that might previously have made me feel a bit anxious, recipe wise... It sounds quite exotic; and within that there is the implication that you should know what you are doing with exotic-type ingredients. That, however, was pre-Ottolenghi, who has subsequently made us all feel much braver about cooking extravagantly with herbs and spices my Granny has definitely never heard of before. Harissa is actually a Tunisian chilli powder which has other brilliant stuff in it (not sure what, maybe coriander or cumin?). You can make your own (Ottolenghi book explains how I think) but actually if you buy nice quality Harissa powder, and mix it up with some other stuff, it tastes great, and makes a deliciously easy (and healthy) dinner recipe.

Ingredients

  • Free Range Chicken – jointed
  • Extra Virgin Olive Oil
  • 2 tbsp Harissa Powder (or the real thing!)
  • 6 Cloves Garlic
  • 1 or Onions
  • 1 Lemon
  • 1 Fresh Red Chilli
  • 1 tbsp Tomato Puree
  • Salt & Pepper

Buy Free Range Chicken… Free range chickens were definitely happier in a former life… which is always a good start for a recipe. 

Get your butcher to joint the Chicken and to remove all the skin (is much leaner and lower in cholesterol without skin)

Get the marinade ready… Crush the Garlic and chop the Red Chilli (as much as you want to use, maybe not the whole thing!) and mix them with the Harissa Powder, Tomato Puree, a drizzle of Olive Oil and some Salt and Pepper.  Add the zest of the Lemon and half its juice too

Smother the Chicken pieces in this and leave for as long as you can (overnight would be best – but even an hour is good).  Get the Chicken out of the fridge so it is at room temperature before you cook it

When you want to eat – pre-heat the oven to 220˚c and slice the Onions into large chunks.  Add them, to a roasting dish with the Chicken, and cook for 10 mins before turning the oven down to 200˚c and giving it another 25 – 45 minutes or until cooked all the way through.  You may want to give the dish a quick stir mid-cooking, just to re-cover the Chicken in the spices

This is great served with Sauté Potatoes or Basmati Rice and Grapefruit & Pepper Sauce (Harissa Chicken is equally good the next day, cold)

A big Green Salad would be a great addition

This recipe is broadly from Ottolenghi – The Cookbook, except I have been much lazier than he is and have not made my own Harissa… Is delicious nevertheless

 

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