Moroccan Roast Chicken with Preserved Lemon and Olives

About This Recipe

This roast chicken draws on the classic Moroccan tagine combination of preserved lemon and olives, but applies it to a whole roasted bird instead of a slow braise. The chicken is rubbed both under and over the skin with a paste of ras el hanout (Morocco's signature warm spice blend), garlic, and olive oil, then roasted alongside chunks of preserved lemon and briny olives that infuse the pan drippings with their distinctive tang. The technique hinges on the spice rub and the preserved lemon: rubbing the ras el hanout paste under the skin, not just on top, ensures the chicken meat itself picks up the spice blend's warmth (cumin, coriander, cinnamon, ginger, and more) rather than just the surface. Preserved lemon -- salt-cured whole lemons aged for weeks until their rind turns soft and intensely aromatic -- is roughly chopped and tucked both in the cavity and around the chicken, releasing its distinctive salty-sour perfume as it roasts. Served with the pan juices spooned over, alongside couscous or crusty bread, this chicken brings the signature Moroccan tagine flavor profile to a simpler, hands-off roasting technique that's become popular for Sunday dinners.

Ingredients

Serves 4

• 1.6 kgwhole chicken
• 2 tbspras el hanout
• 5 clovesgarlic(minced)
• 3 tbspolive oil
• 1 tspsalt
• 1preserved lemon(chopped, seeds removed)
• 0.75 cupgreen or kalamata olives
• 1onion(sliced)
• 0.5 cupchicken stock
• 0.25 cupfresh cilantro(chopped, for garnish)

Instructions

1. 1

   Make the spice paste

   Combine ras el hanout, garlic, olive oil, and salt into a paste.

2. 2

   Season the chicken

   Loosen the skin over the breast and thighs. Rub half the paste under the skin, and the rest over the outside and inside the cavity.

3. 3

   Marinate

   Refrigerate uncovered at least 2 hours, ideally overnight.

4. 4

   Assemble

   Preheat oven to 200C/400F. Place onion slices in the bottom of a roasting pan, set chicken on top, and scatter preserved lemon and olives around it. Pour in stock.

5. 5

   Roast

   Roast 20 minutes, then reduce heat to 180C/350F and continue roasting 55-65 minutes, basting occasionally with pan juices.

6. 6

   Rest and serve

   Check doneness (74C/165F in the thigh), rest 10 minutes, then carve. Serve with pan juices, olives, and preserved lemon spooned over, garnished with cilantro.

Variations

• •

  Spatchcock the chicken for faster, more even roasting, reducing total time to about 55-60 minutes.

• •

  Add halved fingerling potatoes to the pan in the last 45 minutes so they roast in the flavorful drippings.

• •

  Use bone-in chicken thighs instead of a whole bird for a quicker version, roasting about 40 minutes.

Storage

Refrigerate leftover chicken up to 3 days in an airtight container. Reheat gently in a 180C/350F oven for 12-15 minutes, spooning some pan juices over to keep it moist.

Frequently Asked Questions