Roast Chicken with Lemon & Olives

This is from a North African cookbook.  The dish is actually supposed to be a boiled chicken dish, and I didn't realize that when I went to make the recipe the first time.  I thought the dish wouldn't be as flavorful all simmered together, but I made the recipe as directed anyway.  Well.... it was ok, but nothing to write home about, and it was a little ugly, too, so it didn't make nice pictures.  I decided to do it again, roasting it like I had thought in the first place, and I loved it!  Our whole family loves, loves, loves whole roasted chicken!

I did use preserved lemons the first time I made this, and I actually made my own!  Here is the method.  However, I didn't really like the taste of the preserved lemons.... for some reason, they tasted kind of pine-sol-y to me.  So when I made this the second time, I just served it with fresh lemons. 

Lemon Chicken with Lemon & Olives (Poulet M'charmel)
adapted from The North African Kitchen

1-2 onions, finely chopped

3 -4 garlic cloves, crushed

1 bunch fresh cilantro, finely chopped

1 bunch fresh flat leaf parsley, finely chopped

1 teaspoon ground ginger

1 teaspoon ground cumin

1 teaspoon black pepper

2 lemons, juiced

1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil

1/4 cup water

1 roasting chicken

1 preserved lemon, finely sliced, OR a fresh lemon, sliced

5 1/2 ounces olives (purple and green variety)

1.  Preheat oven to 350.  Mix onion, half the cilantro and parsley, the spices, salt and half the lemon juice and olive oil. Dilute with water to make a sauce.  Rub some of the sauce over the outside of the chicken.  Place chicken in a large roasting pan.  Pour the rest of the mixture around the chicken.

2.  Roast for about 1 1/2 hours or until meat reaches 180 F on a thermometer or chicken juices run clear.  When chicken is cooked through, add the remaining cilantro and parsley and pour over the remaining lemon juice. Leave to simmer for a few more minutes to thicken the sauce.  Arrange chicken on a dish and garnish with slices of preserved lemon and olives.

**This post and photos are property of http://dishingwithdish.blogspot.com/ **