Main

Paul Farag’s Middle Eastern charcoal chicken is what weekends are made for

Name: Paul Farag's Middle Eastern charcoal chicken recipe
Yield: 4
Ingredients: 75g salt; 30.00 ml black peppercorns; 1.5kg whole chicken, butterflied; Lemon leaves and/or branches (optional, see note); Flatbread, to rest chicken; 60ml olive oil; 10g dried oregano; Juice of 1 lemon; 50.00 ml pomegranate juice; 3 tsp smoked paprika; 2 tsp garlic powder; 2 tsp sumac; 2 tsp coriander seeds, coarsely ground; 1 1/2 tsp onion powder

Rate now

Jump to recipe

by Paul Farag

CHEF

Jan 19, 2025

“The chicken will take around 45 minutes to cook, with around 15-20 minutes resting time. You can choose any type of chicken you like, and you can also opt for a smaller-sized bird if you want. For me, the most important step is to brine the bird before it goes onto the barbecue. This will not only help with moisture retention, but also with cook time. You could also add any other spices or herbs to the brine to make it your own, but I like to keep the brine simple and then glaze the chicken with a spiced olive oil while it’s cooking.” – Paul Farag.

You’ll need to start this recipe a day ahead.

1/3 cup (75g) fine salt
1 1/2 tbs black peppercorns
1.5kg whole chicken, butterflied
Lemon leaves and/or branches (optional, see note)
Flatbread, to rest chicken

Spice mix

1/4 cup (60ml) extra virgin olive oil (we used Paul Farag x Rio Vista)
1/4 cup (10g) dried oregano
Juice of 1 lemon
2 1/2 tbs pomegranate juice
3 tsp smoked paprika
2 tsp garlic powder
2 tsp sumac
2 tsp coriander seeds, coarsely ground
1 1/2 tsp onion powder

Method

1.

To make brine, place salt and pepper in a large saucepan with 8 cups (2L) water and bring to the boil. Remove from heat. Set aside to cool completely. Chill until cold.
2.

Add chicken to cold brine and submerge completely. Refrigerate overnight.
3.

For spice mix, place all ingredients in a small jug, season to taste and stir well to combine. Set aside until ready to cook.
4.

Remove chicken from brine. Pat dry with paper towel. Bring to room temperature.
5.

Preheat barbecue to medium (see note). Start skin-side down and cook for 4-5 minutes, watching the skin until it’s crispy (there’s a layer of fat under the skin which helps baste the meat, and the longer you leave it, the crispier the skin becomes). Once you’re happy with the colour of the skin, brush the flesh with spice mix. This is the time to start brushing the skin with spice mix – don’t be shy! Turn chicken over. Continue to cook bird, frequently basting liberally with spice mix and turning occasionally. A bird of this size should cook within 45-55 minutes. To test the bird is done, insert a skewer into thickest part of the thigh. Juices should run clear.
6.

Rest the chicken on flatbread for 15-20 minutes before serving. Flatbread will soak up the delicious juices from the bird.

Rate now

Recipe Notes

With a gas barbecue, you can regulate the temperature during the cooking process, but it’s a touch harder with live coals. For those cooking over coal, this is where the lemon tree branches/leaves come in handy. Use these as a trivet or heat shield to help you control the heat, stop over-charring and give the meat a lovely aroma from the oils in the leaves. Forage these from your tree, if you have one, or from a friendly neighbour’s.