Harissa Spatchcocked Chicken, Tahini Baked Aubergine, Rocket and Couscous
This family feast looks mightily impressive, is less effort than it initially seems, seeing as the couscous can be left to soak, and the oven does nearly all the work on the chicken and aubergine. Spatchcocking the chicken also gives a much quicker cooking time, and means you get much more surface area for all that harissa flavour to permeate. The leftovers are worth fighting over too.
Method
Based on 4 servings, adjust as needed.
Step 1
Optional step one: as far in advance of cooking as you can, cover the whole chicken in a thin layer of table salt and leave uncovered in the fridge if possible. Even 20 minutes will make a difference, as the salt will permeate into the meat and give you a much more flavoursome bird.
Step 2
When you want to cook the chicken, pat it dry with kitchen paper (this also helps remove any excess salt if you’ve followed step one) and sit it upright on a chopping board. Turn the oven on to 190°C fan.
Step 3
Now spatchcock the chicken. Place it on your board breast side down and the legs at the bottom facing towards you. Use a pair of sharp scissors start at the end with the parson’s nose (the end of the tail bone) and then cut either side of the backbone all the way up so you remove it completely. Then flip the chicken over and use your hands to press down on the breastbones and legs to snap the small bones and flatten the chicken out.
Step 4
On a baking tray, splay the chicken out, so that the breasts are facing upwards along with the thighs. Using your hands (wear gloves if you’re squeamish), massage the whole chicken with the harissa paste, and then pop in the oven. Set a timer for 35 minutes while you prepare the aubergines.
Step 5
Mix the tahini, half the lemon juice, honey and a few tablespoons of hot water to loosen the mixture. Cut the aubergines in half lengthways and make a criss-cross pattern at least an inch or so deep in the flesh. Massage half of the Tahini mix into each aubergine half, then generously oil and salt a lined baking sheet and place the aubergine flesh side down. When the chicken has had 20 minutes, pop the aubergines on the lower shelf of the oven to bake.
Step 6
Reset the timer for another 20 minutes, then pour boiling water (and a teaspoon of salt) over the couscous and cover. Zest your lemon, and chop your parsley. Leave everything in a state of suspense for the next 15 minutes or so while you have a rest.
Step 7
When the second timer goes off, check the chicken is done and the juices are clear, then take it out of the oven to rest briefly. Remove the aubergines too and flip them the right side up. They should be golden brown and nearly collapsing under their own unctuousness; drizzle them with the remaining tahini while they’re hot.
Step 8
Quickly stir the lemon zest, and remaining juice, and the parsley into the warm couscous, along with a tiny wee dab of oil, plus salt and pepper, fluffing it all up as you go. Carve the chicken and serve everything on a bed of rocket - no need to add anything else as the chicken juices will act as a fabulous dressing.
- Ingredients
- Based on 4 servings
-
1 tbsp Honey 1x Stamford Street Co. Clear Honey 340g -
2 Large Aubergines 2x Sainsbury's Aubergine -
2 tbsp Tahini 1x Sainsbury's Tahini, Inspired to Cook 300g -
3 tbsp Extra Virgin Olive Oil 1x Sainsbury's Olive Oil, Extra Virgin 500ml -
200g Couscous 1x Sainsbury's Cous Cous 500g -
30g Parsley 1x Sainsbury's Fresh Packed Flat Leaf Parsley 30g -
1 Lemon 1x Sainsbury's Lemons -
1.9 kg Whole Chicken 1x Sainsbury's British Fresh Large Whole Chicken 1.9kg -
4 tbsp Harissa Paste 1x Sainsbury's Harissa Paste, Inspired to Cook 90g -
60g Wild Rocket 1x Sainsbury's Wild Rocket 60g