Roast Spiced Chicken on Harissa with Herbs and Watercress

I made this for dinner last night and the chicken was delightful! (Sorry, not the best photo!) However, next time I do this chicken I won't necessarily serve it on the harissa and with the herbs and watercress. I would serve it with a green salad and roast potatoes. Lyndon liked the harissa (see recipe on previous post) with the chicken but it was too spicy for me. The chicken though, mmmm....

*Taken from Karen Martini's 'Where The Heart Is'*

Ingredients

3 tsp baharat*

2 tsp ground fennel

5 large cloves garlic, crushed

2 1/2 tsp salt flakes

freshly ground black pepper

3 sprigs thyme

1 x 1.4 kg free-range chicken, butterflied with breast bone attached

3/4 cup (180ml) extra virgin olive oil

1/2 cup fresh harissa (see previous post)

Flat-leaf parsley and coriander or mint leaves, and watercress sprigs, to serve

Lime wedges (optional) to serve

Method

For the marinade, place baharat, fennel, garlic, salt, 10 grinds black pepper and thyme in a small bowl and stir well to combine. make horizontal cuts through flesh of chicken breast and legs. Rub marinade well into skin. Place chicken in a plastic bag and leave in the fridge for at least 1 hour.

Preheat oven to 220C. Heat olive oil in a large frying pan over high heat. Place chicken in pan and brown on all sides. Transfer to a baking dish and roast for 40-50 minutes or until cooked through and golden.

To serve, spread harissa on a platter, place chicken on top, scatter with sprigs of herbs and watercress and add lime wedges, if using.

Serves 4

*Baharat is a Turkish spice blend that combines pepper with any or all of the following: paprika, cumin, coriander, cinnamon, cloves, cardamom, star anise and nutmeg. (I actually had most of these spices so I blended them together to make up 3 tsp)