Fragrant roast chicken

chicken chook sunday lunch greek yogurt lemon lemons make ahead ras el hanout roast smoked paprika spice spices

N/A

Source

Ingredients

1 large chicken , about 1.8kg/4lb

2 lemons , halved

2 heads of garlic , halved across the middle, plus 2 garlic cloves, crushed

50g butter , softened

2 tsp Ras-el-hanout spice mix

1 tsp smoked paprika , optional

200g pot Greek yogurt

Method

Heat oven to 200C/fan 180C/gas 6. Put ½ a lemon and ½ a garlic head into the chicken’s cavity, then put into a roasting tray. Mix butter, garlic and half the spices and spread over chicken breast and legs. Season well. Can be prepared up to a day ahead and kept covered in the fridge. Put the remaining garlic into the tray and roast chicken for 1 hr. Mix remaining spices into yogurt and season.

Remove chicken from oven and smother with yogurt. Spoon some of the juices over, add the remaining lemon to the tray, then roast for 15 mins or until the yogurt is golden and set and the juices run clear. Lift chicken onto a board, cover and rest for 10 mins before carving. Serve hot or cold.