Roast Chicken with Lemon Zest & Green Olives
Submitted by windchime1
Moroccan-spiced roast chicken with saffron, ginger, and cilantro, finished with a pan sauce of green olives and julienned lemon zest. Two birds roasted golden for a crowd of 10.
YIELD
10 servingsPREP
10 minCOOK
1 hrsREADY
1 hrsThis roast chicken leans North African. Two whole birds get coated in a paste of ginger, paprika, saffron, garlic, onion, parsley, and cilantro, then braised breast-down in water before flipping and roasting uncovered until golden brown.
The pan sauce is what makes it. After the chickens come out, the remaining braising liquid goes on the stovetop with green olives and julienned lemon zest, simmered five minutes until concentrated and spooned over the birds. Saffron in the paste tints the juices gold, and the olives bring a briny counterpoint to the citrus.
Cooking the birds breast-down for the first half keeps the white meat from drying out before the legs are done.
Pro Tips
- Julienned lemon zest in the sauce is worth the knife work. The thin strips soften beautifully in five minutes and look striking on the platter
- Breast-down first is not optional if you want juicy white meat
- Saffron is not cheap, but a quarter teaspoon goes a long way here
Ingredients
Directions
Heat olive oil in Dutch oven or roasting pan and place chickens, breast down, in pan.
Combine ginger, paprika, bay leaves, garlic, onion, parsley, cilantro and saffrom in bowl.
Spread mixture over chickens and season to taste with salt and pepper.
Add enough water to cover chickens halfway.
Place over high heat and bring to boil.
Remove pan from heat and place in 400℉ (200℃). oven.
Bake, uncovered, for 30 minutes.
Turn chickens and continue baking until very tender and golden brown, about 30 minutes.
Transfer chickens to serving platter.
Place pan on stove top and heat remaining juices to boil.
Add olives and lemon zest.
Reduce heat to low and simmer 5 minutes.
Spoon sauce over chickens and serve.
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