RECIPE

© Ngoc Minh Ngo

Tunisian Spice-Roasted Chicken

• Recipe by Abderrazak Haouari

Abderrazak Haouari's simple take on roasted chicken with saffron comes from his grandmother, but the spice mixture and fragrant harous pepper sauce are his additions.

Ingredients

1. 1 1/2 pounds red potatoes, cut into 2-inch pieces
2. One 4-pound chicken, cut into 8 pieces
3. 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
4. 2 teaspoons ground coriander
5. 1 teaspoon ground cumin
6. 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
7. 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
8. 1 1/2 teaspoons Harous
9. Large pinch of saffron threads, crushed into 2 tablespoons water
10. Salt
11. 1 pound green bell peppers, cut into 1/2-inch strips
12. 2 pounds plum tomatoes, quartered lengthwise
13. 1 lemon, thinly sliced

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 400°. In a medium saucepan of boiling water, cook the potatoes until barely tender, about 8 minutes. Drain and pat dry.
2. In a bowl, toss the chicken pieces with the olive oil, ground spices, Harous, saffron water and a pinch of salt. Add the potatoes and toss. Transfer to a roasting pan and roast until the chicken is cooked through and the potatoes are tender, about 45 minutes. Transfer the chicken to a platter and keep warm.
3. Mix the green peppers, tomatoes and lemon slices into the potatoes. Roast, stirring occasionally, until the peppers are tender, about 20 minutes.
4. Preheat the broiler. Arrange the chicken pieces on the vegetables, skin side up, and broil 4 inches from the heat until the skin is browned and crisp, about 1 minute. Transfer the chicken and vegetables to the platter, drizzle with the pan juices and serve.