Chicken

Harissa and lemon chicken

Name: Harissa and lemon chicken
Yield: 4
Ingredients: 1 tsp cumin seeds, toasted; 2 garlic cloves, chopped; 1/2 bunch coriander, leaves picked, stems finely chopped; 1 tbs harissa paste; 2 tbs runny honey; 1/2 preserved lemon, finely chopped; Juice of 1 lemon, plus lemon halves to serve 2 tbs extra virgin; 2 tbs extra virgin olive oil; 1.2kg whole chicken

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by Matt Moran

Chef and delicious. Produce Awards judge

Feb 22, 2019

A light, zesty coat for a succulent chook.

1 tsp cumin seeds, toasted
2 garlic cloves, chopped
1/2 bunch coriander, leaves picked, stems finely chopped
1 tbs harissa paste
2 tbs runny honey
1/2 preserved lemon, finely chopped
Juice of 1 lemon, plus lemon halves to serve 2 tbs extra virgin
2 tbs extra virgin olive oil
1.2kg whole chicken

Method

1.

Using a mortar and pestle, roughly crush toasted cumin seeds. Add garlic and 2 tsp salt flakes, and grind to a paste. Add chopped coriander stems and crush to a rough paste. Fold through harissa, honey, preserved lemon, lemon juice and oil.
2.

Using kitchen scissors, cut down each side of the backbone of the chicken and discard backbone. Cut down 1 side of the breast bone to divide in half. Using a sharp knife, make three 1cm-deep scores in breasts and legs. Place chicken in a nonreactive dish and coat in marinade. Cover with plastic wrap and chill for 2 hours or overnight to marinate.
3.

Preheat a barbecue or oven to 200°C. Remove chicken from fridge 20 minutes before cooking. Place chicken on grill, bone-side down, close lid and cook for 20-25 minutes. Turn chicken and cook, basting every 5 minutes with marinade, for a further 10-15 minutes or until the juices run clear when the thickest part of a thigh is pierced with a skewer. Rest, covered with foil, for 10 minutes. Scatter with coriander leaves and serve with lemon halves.