Ras el Hanout Chicken - A Royal Moroccan Seasoning with homemade chicken stock

👨‍🍳 Method

For the homemade chicken stock ✓ Homemade · or skip – back to store-bought

1. 1
   Put the chicken, the onion, carrot, celery, parsley, bay leaves and peppercorns and the water in a pot and bring to a boil. Skim off the foam that rises during the first 15 minutes with a spoon.

   StovePot
2. 2
   Turn down and simmer gently 2.5–3 hours.

   Stove

   💡A gentle simmer, not a boil: a hard boil dries the food out and clouds it, a slow simmer cooks it evenly.
3. 3
   Strain the stock.

   Colander

For the Roast Chicken

1. 4
   Pat the chicken dry with paper towels. Mix the oil, garlic, paprika, cumin, turmeric, cinnamon, ras el hanout, salt and black pepper and rub the mixture into the chicken.

   💡Dry the chicken before seasoning so the mixture clings to the skin; a longer marinade gives deeper color and flavor.
2. 5
   Cover and marinate the chicken in the fridge at least 1 hour, preferably overnight.
3. 6
   Preheat the oven to 200°C (390°F).

   Oven

   💡Put things in the oven only once it's reached temperature, after the heating light has gone off: an oven that hasn't reached temperature changes baking times, and the bake burns outside or stays underbaked.
4. 7
   Arrange the chicken in the pan in a single layer, with space between the pieces.

   Baking pan
5. 8
   Drizzle the lemon juice over everything.
6. 9
   Pour the chicken stock into the bottom of the pan.
7. 10
   Bake uncovered 45–50 minutes, until the chicken is golden and well cooked.

   OvenBaking pan

   💡Check by the cue (until…), not just the clock: every oven bakes a little differently.
8. 11
   Move under the oven broiler for 3 more minutes, until the skin is crisp.

   BroilerBaking pan
9. 12
   Sprinkle the cilantro over the top.
10. 13
    Serve with rice and bread.