Moroccan Spiced Roast Chicken with Couscous
Whole chicken rubbed with ras el hanout and roasted over a bed of root vegetables, served with pearl couscous tossed in a chickpea and olive stew featuring dried apricots, fresh herbs, and pan juices. Tender, aromatic, and complete in one meal.
Ingredients
- 2 sweet potatoes, halved
- 1 fennel bulb, quartered
- 1 rutabaga, chopped
- 1 celery stalk, chopped
- 1 carrot, chopped
- 1 onion, cut into wedges
- 6 garlic cloves, unpeeled
- 3 Tbsp olive oil, divided
- 1 ½ tsp salt, divided
- 1 ½ tsp black pepper, divided
- 2 Tbsp ras el hanout spice blendcumin+paprika+cinnamon+gingerblendspice_sub
homemade blend
- 1 whole chicken, 3 to 3.5 lb
- 1 cup pearl couscouswhole wheat orzo pasta1:1whole_grain
3
- 1 ½ cups sodium-reduced chicken broth
- 2 Tbsp tomato paste
- 1 can (15 oz) chickpeas, drained and rinsed
- ¾ cup green olives, pitted
- ¼ cup dried apricots, chopped
- 2 Tbsp lemon juice
- 1 Tbsp fresh thyme, finely chopped
- 1 Tbsp fresh mint, finely chopped
Instructions
- 1
Preheat oven to 400°F.
- 2
Combine sweet potatoes, fennel, rutabaga, celery, carrot, onion, and unpeeled garlic with olive oil and salt and pepper in a large bowl.
- 3
Transfer vegetables to a roasting pan.
- 4
Pat chicken dry with paper towel.
- 5
Rub ras el hanout and remaining olive oil, salt, and pepper all over chicken, including under the skin and inside the cavity.
- 6
Tie chicken legs together with kitchen string.
- 7
Lay chicken breast side up on top of vegetables.
- 8
Bake in the lower third of oven, occasionally basting with pan juices, until a thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the inner thigh registers 165°F.
- 9
Transfer chicken to a serving platter or cutting board and tent with foil.
- 10
Let rest for 10 to 15 minutes before slicing.
- 11
While chicken rests, cook couscous according to package directions.
- 12
Skim fat from pan juices in roasting pan, leaving roasted vegetables in place.
- 13
Heat pan juices over medium heat.
- 14
Stir in broth and tomato paste, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom of the pan.
- 15
Bring to a boil.
- 16
Stir in chickpeas, olives, apricots, lemon juice, and thyme.
- 17
Simmer until chickpeas are heated through and sauce is slightly thickened.
- 18
Add couscous and toss until well coated.
- 19
Stir in mint.
- 20
Remove string from chicken.
- 21
Serve chicken sliced or as desired with couscous and chickpea stew.
Tips
Baste chicken frequently with pan juices during roasting to keep skin golden and meat moist.
Let chicken rest before slicing to retain juices and ensure tender meat.
Scrape browned bits from pan bottom when making the sauce for deeper flavor.
Good to Know
Refrigerate cooked chicken and stew separately in airtight containers for up to 3 days. Reheat gently on stovetop with a splash of broth.
Vegetables can be prepped and cut 1 day ahead. Ras el hanout rub can be applied to chicken up to 4 hours before roasting. Couscous is best prepared fresh.
Arrange sliced chicken on a platter surrounded by pearl couscous and chickpea stew. Drizzle pan juices over top. Serve warm.
Common Mistakes
Do not skip resting the chicken after roasting to avoid dry, stringy meat.
Do not oversimmer the stew to avoid mushy chickpeas and apricots.
Do not skip scraping browned bits from the pan to avoid a thin, flavorless sauce.
Substitutions
3
homemade blend