Roast Chicken With Harissa And Schmaltz Recipes

MOROCCAN HARISSA ROAST CHICKEN

Steps:

• Tear open the New Mexico and guajillo chiles and discard the seeds and stems. (You may leave the seeds in if you prefer a spicy harissa.) Tear the chiles into large pieces and place them in a medium bowl. Pour 2 cups boiling water over the chiles and let stand until softened, about 20 minutes.
• Put the coriander and cumin seeds in a small skillet and cook, swirling often, over medium heat, until the seeds are fragrant and lightly toasted, 2 to 3 minutes. Transfer the spices to a blender and add the oil, garlic, lemon juice and 2 teaspoons kosher salt, then puree until smooth. Using tongs, add the chiles to the blender along with 1/2 cup of their soaking liquid (discard the rest) and puree until very smooth, about 2 minutes on high. Season the harissa with pepper and set aside.
• Position an oven rack in the center of the oven and preheat to 475 degrees F.
• In a small bowl, stir together 6 tablespoons butter with 1/4 cup of the harissa until smooth and well-combined; set aside. Place the chicken breast-side-up on a wire rack fitted into a rimmed baking sheet. Slide your forefinger gently under the skin of the chicken and loosen it from the breasts and thighs. Using a spoon, stuff the harissa butter underneath the skin of the breasts and thighs and press it so it spreads out evenly. Rub the exterior of the chicken with the remaining 2 tablespoons butter and sprinkle generously with salt and pepper. Stuff the cavity of the bird with the onion and celery and tie the legs together with butcher's twine.
• Roast the chicken for 20 minutes, then reduce the heat to 400 degrees F and continue to roast until the skin is crispy and golden brown and a thermometer inserted into the thigh (avoiding bone) reads 160 degrees F, about 45 minutes longer. Remove from the oven and immediately brush all over with the remaining harissa. Set the chicken aside to rest for at least 10 minutes, then serve.

ROAST CHICKEN WITH HARISSA AND SCHMALTZ

Steps:

• Bring garlic, sugar, coriander seeds, 1 cup kosher salt, and 8 cups water to a boil in a large saucepan, stirring to dissolve sugar and salt. Transfer to a large bowl and add 1 cup ice. Let cool. (You can also refrigerate or freeze brine if you want to speed things up.)
• While brine is cooling, bone chicken breasts, leaving leg and thigh quarters intact. Start by cutting off wing tips; discard. Place chicken, skin side down, on a cutting board. Working with 1 chicken half at a time, angle the blade of a thin, sharp knife flush against breast bone and cut along bone to separate the rib cage from flesh. The only bones remaining should be in the wing, thigh, and drumstick. Repeat on the other side (save bones for making your next pot of stock).
• Place chicken halves in cooled brine. Cover tightly and chill 12 hours.
• Transfer chicken to a rimmed baking sheet or baking pan and pick off coriander seeds. Spread harissa all over chicken. Cover tightly and chill at least 1 hour and up to 12 hours.
• Preheat oven to 400°F (if you have a convection oven, turn the convection fan on). Heat schmaltz in a large cast-iron pan over medium. Carefully place chicken halves, skin sides down, in pan, making sure all the skin is in the fat. Cook until skin darkens and starts to crisp, about 5 minutes. Transfer skillet to oven and roast chicken until skin is very dark and meat is more than halfway cooked through, 20-25 minutes.
• Remove skillet from oven and carefully turn chicken. Return to oven and roast, skin side up, until an instant-read thermometer inserted into the thickest part of thigh registers 165°F, 8-12 minutes.
• Transfer chicken to a large platter, placing skin side up. Drizzle some of the schmaltz over chicken and serve remaining schmaltz alongside.

ROAST CHICKEN WITH LEMONY HARISSA GLAZE

Steps:

• In a food processor, pulse scallions, garlic, lemon zest, ginger, and cilantro until finely chopped. Add oil, harissa, lemon juice, and 1 tablespoon salt; process until a paste forms.
• Using kitchen shears, remove backbone from chicken. Place, breast-side up, on a cutting board; press down with your hands to flatten. Spread half of paste under and over skin and over cavity side. Arrange onions in a large cast-iron skillet. Place chicken on top, skin-side up. Let stand at room temperature 1 hour, or refrigerate, uncovered, up to 8 hours. (Bring to room temperature before roasting.)
• Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Arrange half of lemon rounds on chicken. Roast 25 minutes. Combine remaining paste and marmalade; brush chicken with mixture and top with remaining lemon rounds. Roast until a thermometer inserted in thickest part of thigh (not touching bone) reads 155 degrees, about 20 minutes more. Let stand 10 minutes; serve.

ROASTED CHICKEN BREASTS WITH HARISSA CHICKPEAS

Steps:

• Heat the oven to 450 degrees. On a rimmed baking sheet, combine the chicken and 2 tablespoons oil. Season with salt and pepper and toss to coat. Arrange the chicken in an even layer, skin side up, and roast until golden and cooked through, 30 to 40 minutes, depending on the size of the chicken breasts. Transfer to a cutting board and let rest for 10 minutes. Carve the breast off off the bone, then slice to serve. Discard bones or reserve for making chicken stock.
• While the chicken rests, heat 2 tablespoons oil in a small saucepan over medium heat. Add the onion and garlic and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened, 3 minutes. Stir in the harissa and coriander and cook until very fragrant and dark red, about 2 minutes. Add half the chickpeas and lightly mash them using a fork, the back of a spoon or a potato masher. Stir in the lemon juice and parsley along with the remaining chickpeas, 2 tablespoons oil, and 1/4 cup water. Season with salt and pepper.
• Serve the chicken topped with the sauce.