Never heard of the world "chermoula" before? That's alright, don't let that intimidate you! It is simply a Moroccan sauce made of spices like cumin, paprika and coriander but also lemon juice, garlic, fresh parsley and fresh cilantro, just to name a few. Can you already tell this roasted chicken recipe is super tasty? This sauce is traditionally used mostly for fish but it delicious with any kind of meat. I've adapted the classic recipe slightly to make a paste that I rubbed on the chicken before popping it in the oven to roast.
I've also added sweet potatoes because, well...sweet potatoes never need a excuse in my house to be included in a recipe. I love them and they're super nutritious. Plus, it's really convenient to have your whole dinner sorted in one single recipe.
We usually buy whole chickens that we cut up ourselves. It may sound daunting but it's actually pretty simple. This video from the New York Times is great if you want to give it a go. Otherwise, you can simply buy your chicken already cut or only use your favorite parts. If you only use boneless chicken breast though, you will need to reduce the cooking time significantly.
Enjoy!
Moroccan Chermoula Roasted Chicken With Sweet Potatoes
Ingredients
- the juice of one lemon
- 2 tbsp white wine vinegar
- 1 tsp ground coriander
- 4 garlic cloves peeled
- 1 tbsp sweet paprika
- ½ tbsp ground cumin
- ½ tsp red chili flakes
- ¼ cup fresh flat leaf parsley leaves packed
- ¼ cup fresh cilantro coriander leaves, packed
- salt and pepper to taste
- 1 large whole chicken cut into pieces
- 1 lb - 450 g sweet potato skin on, cut into medium chunks
Instructions
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Preheat oven to 425F - 220C.
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Prepare the sauce. Combine lemon juice, vinegar, coriander, garlic, paprika, cumin, chili flakes, parsley, cilantro in a blender. (I used my Tribest personal blender, fitted with the small cup, perfect to blend small quantities!). Season with salt and pepper. Pulse to form a paste. Set aside.
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Place sweet potatoes in a large roasting dish, drizzle with a little bit of olive oil and season with salt to taste. Toss to coat.
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Rub paste generously on chicken pieces, on both sides (I used my hands!). Arrange the chicken skin side down over the sweet potatoes.
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Roast for 20 minutes, then turn the chicken pieces over and toss the sweet potatoes. Roast for 20 minutes or until the sweet potatoes and the chicken are cooked through and the skin is crisp.
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Garnish with cilantro and parsley and serve.
Recipe Notes
We usually buy whole chickens that we cut up ourselves. It may sounds daunting but it's actually pretty simple. This video from the New York Times is great if you want to give it a go. Otherwise, you can simply buy your chicken already cut or only use your favorite parts. If you only use boneless chicken breast, you will need to reduce the cooking time significantly.
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