Smoky spiced chicken quarters with Middle Eastern salad

This spice rub is known in the Middle East as ‘baharat’ and it’s a beautiful blend of sweet and smoky spices.

Ingredients

• 1 x 1.5 kg chicken, cut into quarters (ask your butcher to do this for you)
• 2 lemons
• 4 tbsp dukkah

Spice rub

• 2 tbsp coconut oil, melted, plus extra for greasing
• 3 tsp smoked paprika
• 3 tsp ground cumin
• 2 tsp ground coriander
• 1 tsp freshly ground black pepper
• ½ tsp ground cinnamon
• ½ tsp ground nutmeg
• Pinch of ground cardamom
• Pinch of ground cloves
• 1 tsp garlic powder

Middle Eastern salad

• 1 bunch of mint, leaves picked
• 1 bunch of coriander, leaves picked
• 4 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
• Pinch of sea salt

Get started by preheating the oven to 220°C and lightly greasing a roasting tin with coconut oil.

In a small bowl, mix all the spice rub ingredients together to create a delicious paste. Using your hands, rub this all over the chicken pieces, being sure to get into all the little tight spots.

Transfer the chicken to the roasting tin. Quarter one of the lemons and place underneath the chicken, then squeeze the other lemon all over the top.

Roast for 1 to 1½ hours, or until the chicken pieces are lovely and golden and the juices run clear when the thickest part of one of the thighs is pierced with a skewer. Meanwhile, prepare the Middle Eastern salad.

Add the mint and coriander leaves to a bowl, pour over the olive oil and toss well to combine. Season with the salt and toss again.

Once the chicken is cooked, remove it from the oven, cover with foil and leave it to rest for 20 minutes.