We have given roast chicken a spicy, but simple, makeover with this harissa and garlic sauce. Perfectly crispy skin with a kick of heat - why not change things up for your next Sunday roast and give this Roasted Harissa Chicken a try. You can even shred it up to add to tacos, salads or sandwiches too.
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Roast dinners are a Sunday tradition in households across the world. If you are anything like my family growing up, then roast dinners didn't stray too far from the norm. It was usually a plain roast chicken or beef and then turkey at Christmas of course.
Now we have our own little family, we still stick with the roast dinner on a Sunday tradition, but we try to make something a little different, like this harissa chicken.
We wouldn't cover it with gravy, as you need to let the harissa flavour shine, but it's a great roast chicken alternative. A traditional roast chicken doesn't get much different than with a harissa glaze!
Our love of harissa knows no bounds! We even have a recipe for homemade harissa paste.
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Why You Will Love It
- A great Sunday roast alternative
- Just 360 calories per serving
- Leftovers are delicious in tacos, sandwiches and salads
- Great for feeding a crowd
- An easy way to use harissa
How to Make Harissa Roast Chicken
Prep: Preheat your oven to 200°C/180°C(fan)/400°F/Gas 6.
Step 1
Mix together the harissa, honey, olive oil and lemon juice with some minced garlic.
Step 2
Smother the harissa marinade over the whole chicken.
Step 3
Put it in the oven and roast for about an hour and a half, until the chicken is cooked through.
Where Does Harissa Come From?
If you haven't tried, or even heard of, harissa before, then you need to head to the supermarket immediately and stock up on some.
It originates from the Maghreb region of Africa (Morocco, Algeria, Tunisia, Libya, Mauritania and Western Sahara)
This Spicy North African hot red chilli paste can usually be found in a small jar next to the ready made pastes/lazy chilli garlics or in a tube in the world food aisle.
Is this Spicy?
The main ingredient is roasted red peppers and that is mixed with chillies, garlic, herbs and spices with a little rose and some oil, so it does have a little bit of a kick to it.
It really is a unique flavour and a little goes a long way, so you can use less if you don't like a lot of spice.
Serving Suggestions
We would serve this with some mini roasted potatoes and some freshly steamed vegetables and a creamy dip like our homemade tzatziki on the side.
Have a flatbread or pita bread handy to stuff everything into.
Got some chicken left? There is so much that you can do with the leftovers of this harissa roast chicken. We have shredded it up and added it to soft tacos with some slaw and goats cheese. It also goes well in pasta for a quick weeknight meal, or thrown together with some salad for an easy take-to-work lunch.
Or keep it simple and serve with couscous or rice.
Roast Chicken Cooking Time
The time your chicken takes to roast will depend on the size of your chicken. We used a 1.5kg chicken, which took 1 hour and 15 minutes at 200°C/180°C(fan) or gas mark 6.
You will know that your chicken is cooked when it has an internal temperature is 75°C/165°F (get yourself a good Meat Thermometer as they are a kitchen essential) or until juices run clear.
As a general rule, if cooking at gas mark 5, you cook a chicken for for 20 minutes per lb (450g) plus 10-20 minutes extra.
Letting the chicken rest after roasting is crucial for juicy meat. This step allows the juices to redistribute throughout the meat. Rest for around 10-15 minutes.
Dannii's Top Tips
- If harissa isn't your thing, then you can use any kind of spice blend and follow the recipe in the same way. Pesto chicken works really well.
- Got lots of leftovers? Make tacos or enchiladas with them.
- There is a little bit of spice to this, so if that isn't your thing then use less of it.
- You can use chicken breasts or thighs instead of a whole chicken, but cooking times will vary.
Frequently Asked Questions
For ease, we used a whole chicken, but you don't have to. You could use the same sauce and put it on chicken breasts or chicken thighs, but cooking time would vary.
Another way to cook this would be to chop up some chicken breasts, mix the marinade in them and thread on skewers and put them on the BBQ.
More Chicken Recipes
If you've tried this Harissa Chicken Recipe, let us know how you got on in the comments below.
Tag us in your creations on Instagram @hungryhealthyhappy - Use the hashtag #hungryhealthyhappy too.
Recipe
Harissa Roasted Chicken
Ingredients
- 1.3 kg (3 lb) Whole chicken
- 2 tablespoon Harissa
- 1 tablespoon Runny honey
- 1 tablespoon Olive oil
- 0.5 Lemon - (juice only)
- 2 Garlic clove - crushed
- 1 pinch Sea salt and ground black pepper
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 200°C/180°C(fan)/400°F/Gas 6.
- In a bowl, mix together 2 tablespoon Harissa, 1 tablespoon Runny honey, 1 tablespoon Olive oil, juice of 0.5 Lemon, 2 Garlic clove and 1 pinch Sea salt and ground black pepper.
- Place 1.3 kg Whole chicken in a baking dish and pour the mixture onto it, rubbing it in well.
- Put the chicken into the oven and cook for around 90 minutes, or until cooked through.
Recipe Tips
- If harissa isn't your thing, then you can use any kind of spice blend and follow the recipe in the same way. Pesto chicken works really well.
- Got lots of leftovers? Make tacos or enchiladas with them.
- There is a little bit of spice to this, so if that isn't your thing then use less of it.
- You can use chicken breasts or thighs instead of a whole chicken, but cooking times will vary.
Nutritional Information
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The nutritional information provided is approximate and is calculated using online tools. Information can vary depending on various factors, but we have endeavoured to be as accurate as possible.
As all appliances vary, cooking times are a guide. Please note that by changing the serving size, the cooking time may also need to be altered.
Scarlet says
I love harissa and it sounds lovely on the roasted chicken. So flavorful!
Christina says
Oh, snap! I've never heard of harissa before but after googling it, discovered I love the taste of all the spices! This roasted chicken recipe is right up my alley! I bet these flavors would be incredible couple with grilled chicken. Have you ever tried that?
chris says
Oh my goodness this looks unbelievably mouthwatering!! Nothing better than harissa & chicken, thanks for the awesome recipe!
Sarah says
Wowzers- that chicken looks incredible with the bright red rub and the green!!
Yvonne says
We love roast chicken, but also get bored of having it the same way all the time. I can't wait to give this a try. The leftovers would be great in tacos.
Danielle says
That chicken looks perfect. I have never had harissa before, but I definitely want to try it after seeing this.
This thermometer will make a great stocking filler for my husband, he never cooks chicken properly.
Charli Bruce says
I love roast chicken and am always looking for ways to change it up, I think adding the harissa sounds amazing x
Sarmistha Goswami says
Oh my God! This looks too good. I am not a very good cook, so will share this recipe with my mom for sure :)
Thanks for sharing.
Joanna says
I don't do roast chicken for the same reason, I never know if it's cooked on the inside or not. The idea of using a meat thermometer is great! The idea of harissa and garlic glaze sound really yummy.
Emily Leary says
Look at those colours!! I can almost taste the flavours through my screen, everything looks amazing.
kirsty says
I love Harissa it's such a warming spice, I've tried it with chicken fillets but never thought to do a roast chicken, so I shall be giving this a go very soon. It would make for a lovely sunday roast with a modern twist x
maggie smith says
hi Danni don't u give out the calorie count on your recipes anymore have noticed a few recipes without it ....just inquiring thanks .maggie
Tanya Brannan says
Wow I have never heard of a Thermapen before however this seems to take all the guess work out of cooking meat, especially fowl. I think this would be perfect for the Thanksgiving and Christmas Turkey x
five little doves says
Gosh that looks SO tasty! You can't go wrong with roast chicken but that literally looks so full of flavour and so juicy!
Dee says
My family will love the tuna fishcakes. Thank you.