Skip to main content
LoginSign Up
Moroccan-Inspired Roasted Spiced Chicken

Moroccan-Inspired Roasted Spiced Chicken

By Courtney HillApril 6, 2021

  • Makes
    4 servings
  • Cook Time
    45 minutes

This recipe is our weeknight adaptation of djej mechoui, which translates from the Arabic as “grilled chicken.” Made the Moroccan way, the bird is seasoned with spices and herbs, along with smen, or fermented butter, before cooking. For our version, we throw together a simple spice-and-herb infused butter and brush it onto chicken leg quarters that then are roasted in a hot oven. The best way to lightly crush the cumin seeds is with a mortar with a pestle, or you can pulse them in a spice grinder. Either way, be careful not to process them to a powder so they retain their texture. Smoked paprika is a Spanish spice, but it lends rich color along with a flavor evocative of outdoor grilling.

Tip

Don’t be shy about cutting through the skin and meat when slashing the chicken. Make sure to cut all the way to the bone so the seasonings can go deep. The slashes also help speed up the cooking.

Ingredients
  • 5

    tablespoons salted butter

  • 4

    medium garlic cloves, minced

  • 2

    tablespoons cumin seeds, lightly crushed

  • 1

    tablespoon smoked paprika

  • ¼-½

    teaspoon cayenne pepper

  • Kosher salt and ground black pepper

  • 2

    tablespoons finely chopped fresh cilantro, plus whole leaves to serve

  • 2

    tablespoons finely chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley, plus whole leaves to serve

  • 2

    teaspoons packed light brown sugar

  • 1

    teaspoon lemon juice, plus lemon wedges, to serve

  • 3

    pounds bone-in, skin-on chicken leg quarters, patted dry

Step 1

Heat the oven to 450°F with a rack in the middle position. Line a rimmed baking sheet with foil and set a wire rack on top. In a small saucepan over medium, melt the butter. Add the garlic and cumin, then cook, swirling the pan, until the seeds sizzle, 60 to 90 seconds.

Stir in the paprika, cayenne and 1 teaspoon black pepper. Cook until the spices are fragrant, 30 to 60 seconds. Remove from heat and whisk in the cilantro, parsley, sugar and lemon juice; set aside.

Step 2

Using a sharp knife, cut parallel slashes on each chicken leg about 1 inch apart all the way to the bone on both sides of each leg. Season all over with salt, then brush both sides with about half of the butter mixture. Place the chicken skin up on the prepared rack and roast for 10 minutes.

Step 3

Brush the remaining butter mixture onto the surface of the chicken. Continue to roast until well browned and the thickest part of the thigh reaches 175°F, about another 15 minutes.

Step 4

Transfer the chicken to a serving platter and let rest for 10 minutes. Sprinkle with cilantro and parsley leaves, then serve with lemon wedges on the side.