Serve this alongside this Golden Roasted Cauliflower and Chickpea Salad and Maple Roasted Dutch Carrots for a seriously delicious roast dinner. And if you love harissa then you need to try my Harissa Roasted Cauliflower with Garlic Tahini Yoghurt.
Ingredients Notes and Substitutions
You only need a handful of ingredients to make this Harissa Roast Chicken recipe. I’ve listed all of the ingredients below as well as any possible substitutions and ingredient notes. You can find the ingredient quantities in the recipe card at the bottom of this post.
- whole chicken – I’ve used a chicken that is 1.5kg/3.3pound but have included instructions for changing the cooking time to suit the size of your chicken.
- harissa paste – harissa paste originates from Tunisia but is used commonly across North African. It is a chilli paste made from red chillies and spices like cumin, coriander and caraway. It is a great ingredient for adding a lot of flavour to a dish.
- pomegranate molasses – I have tested this recipe with both pomegranate molasses and honey and both work well. If you find it hard to find pomegranate molasses then please use honey instead.
- extra virgin olive oil – olive oil is my go-to cooking oil as it is rich in nutrients and has a high smoke point.
- cumin seeds – in this recipe I use whole cumin seeds and they add such a delicious flavour.
- sea salt flakes – if using finely ground sea salt then reduce the amount of sea salt used by about half.
- lemon& lemon juice – you will need both fresh lemon juice and a half a lemon.
How to Make Harissa Roast Chicken
Preheat the oven to 200°C/392°F conventional. Line a large baking dish or roasting pan with parchment paper and set aside.
To make this recipe, first make the harissa marinade. Add the harissa paste, pomegranate molasses (or honey), olive oil, cumin seeds, sea salt and lemon juice to a bowl and whisk to combine.
Place the chicken into the lined baking dish or roasting pan and dry with paper towel. Pour the marinade over the chicken, rubbing it into the entire surface. If you have time, I would recommend covering the chicken and refrigerating for around an hour to marinate. If it can marinate over night then even better!
Cut the lemon half in half again lengthways and insert into the cavity of the chicken. Use cooking twine to tie the legs together and then tuck the wings under the chicken.
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Place chicken into the oven and roast for 10 minutes at 200°C/392°F. After 10 minutes, reduce the temperature to 180°C/356°F and roast for another 1 hour and 30 minutes, or 25 minutes per 500 grams/1.1 lb. Baste the chicken throughout with the pan juices and cover with foil if the top begins to brown too much. The legs usually brown faster then the chicken breasts so cover just the legs at first.
The chicken is cooked once the it has reached an internal temperature of 74°C/165°F. If you don’t have a meat thermometer, follow the timings for the recipe and test the chicken by inserting a skewer between the chicken thighs and breast. Press down on the chicken and if the juice that runs out is clear, the chicken should be cooked. Once cooked, remove from the oven and let rest for 10 minutes before slicing.
Storage
There’s a few ways to store this harissa chicken. Either on a plate covered in glad wrap and placed into the fridge. Or slice it all up and transfer to an airtight container and store in the fridge. The chicken will keep well for up to 3 days in the fridge, reheat before eating if you can. Or store in an airtight container in the freezer for up to 3 months.
Tips
Use the marinade for this chicken for chicken drumsticks, chicken thighs, tenders or breasts. Or even to coat salmon or vegetables.
Use the leftover chicken bones to make stock by adding the carcass to a large pot along with onion, celery, black peppercorns and carrots. Top with water and bring to a boil. Once boiling, reduce to a simmer with the lid on for around 3 hours. Remove the bones and vegetables and strain the liquid through a fine mesh sieve or cheese cloth into a bowl or pan. Transfer the stock to jars and refrigerate for up to 3 days or freeze for up to 6 months.
What to serve with Harissa Roast Chicken
Harissa Roast Chicken
Equipment
- Whisk
- Roasting pan or large baking dish
- Parchment paper
- Sharp knife
- Chopping Board
- Kitchen twine
- Scissors
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons harissa paste
- 1 tablespoon pomegranate molasses, or honey
- 20 mL lemon juice
- 20 mL extra virgin olive oil
- 1 teaspoon sea salt flakes
- 1 teaspoon cumin seeds
- 1.5 kg whole chicken
- 1/2 lemon, cut into two wedges
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 200°C/392°F conventional. Line a large roasting pan or baking dish with parchment paper.
- Place the whole chicken into the roasting pan or baking dish and pat dry with paper towel.
- In a small bowl, whisk together the harissa paste, pomegranate molasses, lemon juice, olive oil, sea salt flakes and cumin seeds. Pour onto the chicken and rub all over the skin.
- Place the chicken breast side up and tuck the wings underneath. Insert the lemon wedges in the cavity. Tie the legs together with kitchen string.
- Place the chicken into the oven on a lower shelf and roast for 10 minutes. Turn the temperature down to 180°C/356°F conventional and roast for another 1 hour 30 minutes, until the juices run clear when a skewer is pierced between the thigh and breast. The top of the chicken should be golden brown, but if starting to brown too much, place a sheet of foil loosely over the top.
- Set aside to rest for 15 minutes before slicing.
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