Harissa Rubbed Spatchcock Chicken with Roasted Carrots Recipe

We are happy to have Tori Sellon as our April 2021 Featured Chef! Tori is sharing four delicious recipes on our blog, and we know you will enjoy these as much as we do! Follow along with her Harissa Rubbed Spatchcock Chicken with Roasted Carrots recipe below.

“While the term spatchcock may sound like a term pubescent boys would call out in a locker room, it’s actually a very easy way to cook an entire chicken. The origin seems to come from an Irish term “Dispatch the Cock” which means: ‘go get the chicken’ and implies dinner is soon to follow.

To spatchcock a chicken means to remove the spine and butterfly the bird. The process allows it to cook much quicker and exposes all the chicken skin so that it can develop a nice crispy finish. It’s nice to note that this technique can be done with any bird like turkey, duck or goose.

We made this recipe in one of my online cooking classes and served the chicken with Moroccan spiced roasted carrots which are placed on the same baking sheet with the chicken and cooked together. In this method the juices from the chicken baste the carrots and add additional flavor. I top the carrots with a tahini yogurt dressing for brightness.

I also paired this meal with a potato gratin that also uses some exotic Moroccan spices to give it a wee bit of interest but still feels very classic.

To see how to make this meal you can check out my on-demand video and see how we made this entire dinner start to finish.”

Harissa Rubbed Spatchcock Chicken with Roasted Carrots Recipe

Recipe By: Tori Sellon | Bon Vivant Food and Wine

USWM Shopping List: Whole Chicken

Ingredients

Chicken Ingredients

• 1 Whole Chicken
• 1-2 Tbsp Harissa Paste ( or to taste)
• 1/2 Cup Yogurt
• 1 Clove Garlic
• Finish with Salt

Carrot Ingredients

• 1 lb Carrots
• Olive Oil
• 2 tsp Ras El Hanout

Tahini Yogurt Ingredients

• 1/2 Cup Yogurt
• 1/4 Cup Tahini Sesame Paste
• 2 Tbsp Fresh Lemon Juice
• 1/2 tsp Salt
• Garnish with pomegranate seeds for added pop of flavor

Instructions

Chicken Instructions

Step 1) Mix the rub ingredients by combining yogurt, harissa, and garlic.

Note: Harissa paste can be very spicy. Some brands are hotter than others. Slowly add the spice so that you don’t over do it.

Step 2) Now prepare to spatchcock the chicken. To do this I like to use good quality kitchen shears. Remember that you are just cutting out the spine. Do not cut too deeply into the rib bones. They help the chicken keep its shape.

Step 3) Once the spine is removed, lay the chicken breast side up on a baking sheet. The entire chicken carcass should be splayed out like a butterfly.

Step 4) Now apply the harissa yogurt mixture to the chicken. I usually start by placing my fingers beetween the breast skin and meat, separating the skin to make little pockets. I use a spoon to add the yogurt mixture beneath the skin. This helps the breast stay moist and adds more flavor. Then I coat the rest of the bird with a liberal amount of the mixture, being sure to coat every nook and cranny. I also rub the underside of the bird for additional flavor. Make sure to salt the outside of the bird as well.

Carrot Instructions

To prepare the carrots, cut them in small spears. Arrange them on the baking sheet and drizzle with olive oil, salt and Moroccan spice blend Ras El Hanout. Gently toss the carrots in place to coat with oil and seasoning.

Tahini Yogurt Sauce Instructions

Mix all the ingredients together and adjust spices to taste. If you prefer a tangier sauce, add more lemon. If your sauce is too thick to drizzle (some sesame pastes are thicker than others), add water till you get the right consistency.

Cooking Instructions

Step 1) Heat oven to 375

Step 2) Cook the chicken for 30 mins or until a thermometer reads 160 F.

Note: 165 is the correct temp for chicken but remove it before it reaches the full cooking temp as it will continue to cook once it is removed from the oven.

Find recipes and more on the Discover Blog. 

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