| Level: | Intermediate |
| Total: | 5 hr 15 min |
| Prep: | 15 min |
| Inactive: | 4 hr |
| Cook: | 1 hr |
| Yield: | 4 to 6 servings |
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons cumin seed
- 2 tablespoons whole coriander
- 2 cinnamon sticks
- 1 teaspoon sweet paprika
- 1 teaspoon cayenne
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/4 cup olive oil
- 1 lemon, juiced
- 1 whole free-range chicken (3 pounds), split (see directions below or have butcher split chicken for you)
- Extra-virgin olive oil
- Mint Yogurt Dressing. recipe follows
- Apricot Couscous, recipe follows
- 1 1/2 cups plain yogurt
- 1/2 bunch chopped fresh cilantro leaves
- 1/2 bunch fresh mint leaves
- 2 green onions, green parts only
- 2 tablespoons honey
- 1 lemon, juiced
- Extra-virgin olive oil
- Salt and pepper
- Extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 small red onion, small dice
- 1/4 cup dried apricots, coarsely chopped
- 1/4 cup whole almonds toasted, coarsely chopped
- 1 cup couscous
- 1 1/2 cups chicken stock, warm
- 1/2 teaspoon lemon zest
- 2 scallions green parts only
- 1/4 cup fresh mint leaves, roughly chopped
- 1/2 bunch fresh cilantro leaves, roughly chopped plus leaves for garnish
- Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
Instructions
- Toast cumin, coriander and cinnamon in a medium saucepan over low heat until fragrant. In a clean spice grinder or coffee grinder, blend spices until fine. Add the toasted spices to a bowl with paprika and cayenne. Season with kosher salt. Stir in the olive oil and lemon juice.
- Prepare chicken by splitting it down the back and removing the backbone, breast bone and rib cage. Lay the chicken out flat and rub the blended spices all over. Marinate for up to 4 hours or overnight.
- Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.
- Heat a large cast iron skillet (or other heavy oven-proof pan) over medium-high heat. When hot, add a 2 count of extra-virgin olive oil and place the chicken skin side down in the pan. Cover it with a second cast iron pan (you could also use a more traditional foil-wrapped brick) immediately so the skin doesn’t have time to contract. Reduce the heat to medium and cook for 10 to 15 minutes until chicken is golden brown and has a nice crust. Finish cooking in the oven for a further 20 to 25 minutes. Internal temperature between the leg and thigh should register 165 degrees F on an instant-read thermometer, when cooked through. Serve with Mint Yogurt Dressing and Apricot Couscous.
- While chicken is cooking, combine yogurt, cilantro, mint, green onions, honey, lemon juice, extra-virgin olive oil, and salt and pepper, to taste, in a blender. Blend until mixture is fully combined and has a smooth consistency.
- In a medium saucepan add a 2 count of extra-virgin olive oil. Add the red onion, apricots and almonds and saute gently over low heat until translucent and slightly fragrant. Add the couscous then dump in the warm chicken broth. Stir with a fork to combine, add lemon zest and cover. Let sit for 10 minutes, then uncover and add the scallions, mint, and cilantro. Fluff again with a fork. Season, to taste, with salt and pepper. Toss gently to combine.
- Serve family-style on a large platter and garnish with fresh cilantro.
Reviews
Have made this throughout the years and it never disappoints. I make zero adjustments to the chicken, full of flavor and have to leave out the almonds from the couscous due to allergy in my family and do not miss them at all. Not too labor intensive and packed with amazing flavor.
It is yummy I will sure try for my next party.
Delicious. Easy to follow instructions.
Wow!!! This is so delicious! I made the recipe exactly as stated (even though I agree with a prior reviewer that the quantities are greater in the recipe than in the video) and it was perfect! I love the strong flavor of the spices. Will be making this again and again. Tyler, you are brilliant! Thank you so much.
This dish is fantastic, however you will need to tweak it. The ingredient amounts are not accurate…..with the hard spices. He says 2 tablespoons at first. but it is clearly not tablespoons when he adds them. Ive done this with one tablespoon of the hard spices and one teaspoon of the the others and it is fantastic. I make this dish frequently.
Delicious Flavors, Impressive, Easy Meal.