Prep Time 15 minutes - Total Time 1 hour 45 minutes - Serves 4
Give your go to roast chicken recipe a day off and give this moroccan inspired spatchcock chicken a spin, you won’t be disappointed.
Beautifully lightly spiced chicken, served with couscous full of herbs, feta and a stunning dressing to drizzle over everything.
(You will also find this recipe on page 14 of my book Richard’s Family Favourites click here)
Chicken Ingredients
2 kg chicken, spatchcocked.
1 handful of fresh parsley, roughly chopped.
1 handful of fresh mint, roughly chopped.
300 ml of couscous.
450 ml of chicken stock.
2 lemons.
70 g of feta.
100 g of pomegranate seeds.
50 g of pine nuts.
Rub Ingredients
½ tsp of garlic granules.
1 tsp of ground coriander.
1 tsp of cumin powder.
1 tsp of smoked paprika.
1 tsp of dry thyme.
1 tsp of dry mint.
1 pinch of chilli flakes, to taste.
1 tsp of dark muscovado.
4 tbsps of extra-virgin olive oil.
Dressing Ingredients
½ lemon, juice only.
4 tbsps of extra-virgin olive.
1 tsp of red wine vinegar.
Chilli flakes, optional.
1 small handful of fresh parsley, roughly chopped.
A few fresh mint leaves, roughly chopped.
Method
Pop the chicken onto a roast tray, breast side up. Then put all of the rub ingredients into a bowl with a good pinch of salt, black pepper, mix and pour all over the chicken. Cover and place in the fridge and allow to marinate for as long as possible. Remove from the fridge 30 minutes before cooking so it can come up to room temperature.
When you are ready to cook the chicken, take one of the lemons, cut it in half and squeeze the juice all over the chicken. Give it a little drizzle with olive oil then place into a preheated oven set at 180℃ for 50 minutes. Once done, leave to rest while you prepare the couscous and dressing.
Place the couscous into a large bowl, cover with the stock, a pinch of salt, a drizzle of extra-virgin olive and the juice from the remaining lemon. Give it a good mix then cover and leave to cook for 10 minutes. Once cooked use a fork to fluff up the couscous. Add half of the parsley and mint along with the pomegranates, pine nuts, the feta and mix into the couscous.
For the dressing simply mix everything with a pinch of salt and black pepper. Then drizzle over the chicken.