Moroccan Spatchcocked Chicken Recipes

MOROCCAN SPATCHCOCKED CHICKEN

Steps:

• Heat oven to 400°F. Line 15 x 10 x 1-inch pan with foil.
• Pat chicken dry with paper towels. Place chicken, breast side down, on cutting board. Using heavy-duty kitchen scissors or poultry shears, cut closely along one side of backbone from thigh end to neck. Repeat on other side. Remove backbone; save for making Chicken and Broth or Roasted Chicken and Broth or discard. Turn chicken over; flatten breast area by pressing firmly with heel of hand. Place chicken, breast side up, in pan. Tuck wings under breast.
• In small bowl, mix cumin, salt and cinnamon; sprinkle evenly over chicken. Cover with foil; bake 50 minutes.
• In small bowl, mix honey, oil and molasses until well blended. Brush mixture on chicken.
• Bake uncovered 10 to 20 minutes, brushing once or twice with pan juices, or until thermometer inserted in thickest part of breast reads at least 165°F. Sprinkle chicken with pomegranate seeds and cilantro. Serve with pan juices, if desired.

MOROCCAN CHICKEN

Steps:

• Season chicken with salt and brown in a large saucepan over medium heat until almost cooked through. Remove chicken from pan and set aside.
• Saute onion, garlic, carrots and celery in same pan. When tender, stir in ginger, paprika, cumin, oregano, cayenne pepper and turmeric; stir fry for about 1 minute, then mix in broth and tomatoes. Return chicken to pan, reduce heat to low and simmer for about 10 minutes.
• Add chickpeas and zucchini to pan and bring to simmering once again; cover pan and cook for about 15 minutes, or until zucchini is cooked through and tender. Stir in lemon juice and serve.

SPATCHCOCK BARBECUE CHICKEN

Steps:

• Mix together the oil, paprika, garlic, lemon zest and salt and pepper. Brush this all over the skin of the spatchcock chicken and leave in the fridge for 30 mins to marinate.
• To cook on a barbecue: cook for 5 mins each side in the centre, then draw aside to the edges to cook on a gentler heat. Turn regularly. Baste in between with beer or water. To check that it's cooked through, pierce with a knife between the thighs and breast bone: the flesh should be white and firm.
• Remove from the heat and leave to rest, covered with foil, for 10-15 mins. Cut into portions, drizzle over lemon juice and seasoning, plus a little oil and pinches of paprika. Serve with the lemon quarters.

ONE-POT MOROCCAN CHICKEN

Steps:

• Heat olive oil in a large pot over medium heat and cook onion until soft and translucent, about 5 minutes. Add garlic and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds.
• Add chicken, tomatoes, carrots, celery, water, olives, raisins, ginger, salt, paprika, cumin, turmeric, oregano, cinnamon, and cayenne pepper; mix to combine. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, and simmer until chicken has cooked through and flavors have mingled, 25 to 35 minutes.
• Stir in lemon juice and garnish with cilantro.

ROASTED MOROCCAN SPICED CHICKEN

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 400°F
• Pat chicken dry and rub with flattened garlic cloves; place garlic in cavity. Squeeze lemon into small bowl; place lemon in cavity.
• Brush chicken with half of juice.
• Mix spices and salt and rub over and inside chicken.
• Tie legs together. Heat oil in large ovenproof skillet.
• Add chicken, breast side up. Add remaining lemon juice to skillet. Baste
• chicken withpan juices. Transfer to oven, and bake until juices run clear.
• Baste occasionally. Roast about 1 hour -- .

ROASTED ORGANIC CHICKEN WITH MOROCCAN SPICES

Steps:

• Position rack in center of oven and preheat to 400°F. Blend first 9 ingredients in blender to moist paste.
• Remove neck, giblets, and excess fat from main cavity of chicken. Rinse chicken inside and out; pat dry with paper towels. Rub 1/3 of spice paste into main cavity and neck cavity, then rub remaining spice paste all over outside of chicken. Place lemons and garlic cloves in main cavity of chicken. Tie legs together. Place chicken on rack in roasting pan. Roast 45 minutes; tent with foil to prevent overbrowning. Continue to roast chicken until instant-read thermometer inserted into thickest part of thigh registers 170°F, about 45 minutes. Transfer chicken to platter; let stand 10 minutes (internal temperature will increase by 5 to 10 degrees).
• *A Moroccan spice blend available at some specialty foods stores, Middle Eastern markets, and by mail from The Spice House (312-274-0378; thespicehouse.com).

MOROCCAN ROAST CHICKEN WITH APRICOTS

Steps:

• Spatchcock the chickens - see tip, below, or ask your butcher to do it for you. Put the olive oil, coriander, sumac, cumin, fennel, chilli, garlic, lemon zest and juice, pomegranate molasses and some ground black pepper into a food processor or blender, and whizz to a paste. Divide between 2 large food bags, add a chicken to each, then squeeze out the air and seal before giving everything a good squelch to coat thoroughly. Marinate for 24-48 hrs in the fridge, turning and squishing every so often.
• Fire up a barbecue and let the flames die down, or heat oven to 220C/200C fan/gas 7. Lift the chicken out of the bags and season well with salt. Barbecue or roast the chicken for 25-30 mins on each side until crisp and cooked through. Set aside on a platter, loosely cover with foil, to rest while you do the apricots. If you roasted rather than barbecued, keep the tin juices warm for serving.
• Put the apricots in a small, snug roasting tin. Whisk the preserved lemon, honey, orange blossom and vinegar with some seasoning. Pour over the apricots and roast, or sit on the barbecue, for 20 mins until soft.
• Serve the chicken with any cooking juices, the apricots and saffron yogurt.