Fork N’ Flavor
Harissa-Roasted Whole Organic Chicken
Crispy skin, juicy inside — with a Morton & Bassett harissa paste, roasted over carrots, onion & lemon with broth in the pan.
Ingredients
Chicken + Paste
- 1 whole organic chicken (about 3 lb)
- 1½–2 tbsp Morton & Bassett harissa powder
- 3 tbsp olive oil
- Salt (about ¾–1 tsp total)
Pan Bed
- 2–3 carrots, cut into chunks
- 1 onion, quartered
- 1 lemon, halved or quartered
- ½–¾ cup chicken broth
Directions
- Preheat: Heat oven to 400°F. Pat chicken completely dry.
- Build the pan: Add carrots, onion, and lemon to a baking dish. Pour in ½–¾ cup chicken broth (broth should stay at the bottom and not wash over the chicken skin).
- Make paste: Mix harissa powder + olive oil + salt into a thick paste.
- Season: Rub paste all over the chicken (back, front, and under skin where possible). Place chicken breast-side up on top of the veggies.
- Roast: Bake uncovered for 1 hour 10 minutes.
- Spoon juices: Around the 35–45 minute mark, spoon a little pan juice over the chicken once.
- Crisp finish: Increase oven to 425°F for the last 15–20 minutes, until skin is deeply golden.
- Temps: Pull at 165°F breast and 175°F thigh.
- Rest: Rest 15 minutes uncovered (keeps skin crisp). Spoon pan juices over sliced chicken to serve.
Tip: Resting uncovered prevents steam from softening the skin. The veggie bed + broth keeps the meat juicy while the skin stays exposed to dry heat.
