Moroccan Roasted Chicken With Preserved Lemons

Name: Moroccan Roasted Chicken With Preserved Lemons
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 180 min
Total time: 200 min
Yield: 4 servings
Cuisine: Moroccan,African
Ingredients: 1 whole chicken; 1/2 teaspoon salt; 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper; 1/2 teaspoon ginger; 1/2 teaspoon turmeric; 1/4 teaspoon saffron threads, crumbled; 1 small clove garlic, finely chopped or pressed; 1 tablespoon chopped fresh cilantro; 1 tablespoon olive oil; 1 tablespoon lemon juice; 2 large yellow or white onions; 2 cloves garlic; 1 teaspoon ginger; 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper; 1/4 teaspoon ground white pepper; 1/4 teaspoon salt; 1/2 teaspoon turmeric; 2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro; 1 stick cinnamon stick, optional; 1 teaspoon smen, Moroccan preserved butter, optional; 3 to 4 tablespoons vegetable oil; 1/4 teaspoon saffron threads, crumbled; 1 preserved lemon, quartered, seeds removed; Handful red or green olives

A slow-roasted whole chicken, infused with Moroccan spices and served with a savory onion sauce featuring preserved lemon and olives, makes an impressive party dish.

⭐ 4 (54 reviews) Prep: 20 minCook: 180 minTotal: 200 minYields: 4 servings

Category Tags:

Entree Dinner

Cuisine Tags:

Moroccan African

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Ingredients

1 whole chicken
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/2 teaspoon ginger
1/2 teaspoon turmeric
1/4 teaspoon saffron threads, crumbled
1 small clove garlic, finely chopped or pressed
1 tablespoon chopped fresh cilantro
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 tablespoon lemon juice

For the Sauce:

2 large yellow or white onions
2 cloves garlic
1 teaspoon ginger
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/4 teaspoon ground white pepper
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon turmeric
2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro
1 stick cinnamon stick, optional
1 teaspoon smen, Moroccan preserved butter, optional
3 to 4 tablespoons vegetable oil
1/4 teaspoon saffron threads, crumbled
1 preserved lemon, quartered, seeds removed
Handful red or green olives

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 325 F (160 C).
Prepare a spice rub using ginger, turmeric, garlic, cilantro, olive oil, and lemon juice.
Loosen the chicken skin and apply most of the rub underneath, then apply the rest to the back. Season the chicken cavity with salt and pepper, truss the legs, rub with olive oil, then refrigerate overnight.
Thinly slice onions. In a Dutch oven, combine onions, garlic, remaining spices, cilantro, oil, and smen. Cover and cook over medium heat for 1 hour until soft.
Mash the onions and continue cooking uncovered until reduced to a thick mass. Stir in saffron, then set aside.
Place chicken in an oiled roasting pan and let sit for 30 minutes at room temperature.
Roast uncovered for 2-3 hours, basting and rotating halfway, until golden brown and cooked through. Transfer chicken to a serving plate.
Combine roasting pan juices with the reserved onion sauce. Stir in preserved lemon, olives, and 2-3 tablespoons water. Simmer for 10 minutes until thick.
Serve the chicken with the sauce, garnished with preserved lemons.

Nutritional Info (per serving)

Calories: 618 kcal

Carbohydrate: 11 g

Cholesterol: 152 mg

Fiber: 3 g

Protein: 47 g

Saturated Fat: 9 g

Sodium: 846 mg

Sugar: 3 g

Fat: 43 g

Unsaturated Fat: 0 g