Whole roasted harissa chicken

Ingredients for 4 servings:

• 1 chicken, whole, approx. 1.75 kg, ready to cook, without fat
• Salt and pepper, for rubbing
• 4 tbsp butter, soft
• 1 tsp, leveled salt
• 1 tsp, levelled black pepper, freshly ground
• 1 tsp, heaped harissa, optionalmore
• 2 cloves garlic, finely chopped (optional)
• 4 lemon slices, organic (optional)
• Butter, melted, for brushing

Instructions

Working time approx. 15 minutes; Rest time approx. 3 hours; Cooking/baking time approx. 1 hour 30 minutes; Total time approx. 4 hours 45 minutes

delicious spicy dish from North Africa

Use the harissa carefully, as it can be very spicy. It’s best to use homemade harissa, as it’s usually made at a level of spiciness that suits your personal taste. You can also serve this dish with a “harissa dip” (harissa mixed with good mayo). Preheat the oven to 230°C (450°F). Wash the chicken and pat it dry thoroughly (!!). Rub the inside well with salt and pepper. Then place the chicken on a rack in a roasting pan. In a bowl, mix the softened butter, 1 teaspoon each of salt and pepper, and the harissa well. If you like garlic, you can mix in a little, but not too much—perhaps 2-3 medium cloves. Rub this mixture liberally all over the chicken. Push this mixture under the chicken skin and rub it in. If you like, you can also place a few lemon slices inside the chicken. You’ll get much more flavor out of the chicken if you let it marinate, covered, in the refrigerator for several hours. Roast the chicken breast-side down in the oven for 20-30 minutes. The skin should begin to brown. Brush with melted butter and turn over (breast-side up). Brush the breast with the melted butter; the skin should also begin to brown. Roast for another 5 minutes. Brush again and reduce the temperature to 160°C. Bake for another 45-55 minutes, until the meat juices run clear. If you like the chicken well-brown, you can turn on the broiler for a few more minutes. Place the chicken on a platter and let it rest for 10 minutes. Cut the chicken into pieces and, if desired, pour over the liquid from the roasting pan. This dish goes well with grilled vegetables and rice, but also grilled (baked) potatoes, couscous, fresh salad, etc.