Authentic Middle Eastern Spatchcock Roast Chicken with Flavorful Vegetables (One-Pot Recipe)
Discover the secret to a truly unforgettable dinner with this Middle Eastern Spatchcock Roast Chicken, infused with a homemade aromatic spice blend and roasted to perfection alongside tender vegetables and potatoes. This incredible one-pot meal is not just convenient; it’s bursting with exotic flavors that will transport your taste buds!
After a short, delightful hiatus, I am absolutely thrilled to be back in the kitchen and sharing this recipe with you! This post might be a little more delayed than originally planned, but for a very good reason. Our family recently welcomed a precious new furry friend into our home, and needless to say, he has unequivocally (and self-admittedly) captured all of my attention and love these past few days. I promise a formal introduction to our new companion very soon, but for now, let’s talk about something equally exciting: this spectacular Middle Eastern roast chicken.
First things first: spatchcocked chicken! If you follow along, you might recall my detailed guide on how to spatchcock a chicken that I shared recently. I can’t emphasize enough how quickly you can master this technique, simply because it truly is that easy. Preparing a whole chicken this way has quickly become my absolute favorite method for roasting. It’s one of those culinary revelations that, once you try it, makes you wonder why you hadn’t been doing it your entire life! Spatchcocking significantly reduces roasting time and ensures the chicken cooks more evenly, resulting in incredibly juicy meat and delightfully crispy skin across the entire bird. What’s not to love about saving time and achieving even better results?
Honestly, even a simple spatchcocked chicken, lightly brushed with olive oil and generously seasoned with kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper before oven roasting, makes for a fantastic meal. I am, in fact, a huge advocate for seriously simple roast chickens. However, I must confess that I am an even bigger fan of this particular Middle Eastern spatchcocked roast chicken. This recipe takes simplicity and elevates it with an exquisite spice blend, complemented by perfectly roasted potatoes, sweet caramelized leeks, and tender carrots. It’s truly a complete meal in one pan.
This dish exemplifies those wonderful dinners that practically cook themselves. Everything comes together effortlessly in a single roasting pan, which translates to minimal cleanup and effort on your part. To round out the meal, simply add a fresh side salad or a crusty loaf of good-quality bread, and you’re all set for a delicious and satisfying feast.
The Secret to Unforgettable Flavor: Our Middle Eastern Spice Rub
The true magic of this particular roast chicken recipe lies within its incredible spice rub. This homemade Middle Eastern spice blend is, in a word, everything. It’s a delicate yet warm and incredibly flavorful concoction that transforms ordinary chicken into an extraordinary culinary experience. This exceptional blend was thoughtfully inspired by and adapted from this fantastic cookbook, and it has quickly become a staple in my kitchen.
While this rub does call for quite a few spices – nine in total! – don’t let that intimidate you. These are mostly everyday spices that you likely already have in your pantry, or can easily find at any grocery store. Our blend features the earthy notes of ground cumin, the bright, citrusy aroma of ground coriander, the comforting warmth of ground cinnamon, a hint of sweet spice from ground nutmeg, the exotic, floral essence of ground cardamom, the vibrant color and mild heat of paprika, the complex depth of allspice, the intense aromatic kick of ground cloves, and the beautiful golden hue and subtle bitterness of ground turmeric. Each spice plays a vital role in creating a harmonious and deeply satisfying flavor profile. The result is a richly fragrant and deeply savory rub that’s surprisingly easy to mix up and promises a delicious journey for your palate.
Versatility Beyond the Bird: Make Extra Spice Blend!
I have genuinely been sprinkling a variation of this very spice mixture on almost everything that comes out of my kitchen lately, and for good reason! The recipe provided below yields just enough for this specific roast chicken, but I wholeheartedly recommend making a double, triple, or even quadruple batch. Seriously, you’ll thank me later!
I always keep a small airtight bag of this versatile spice blend readily available in my spice drawer. It’s absolutely perfect for jazzing up roasted vegetables, adding a burst of flavor to grilled chicken breasts, or elevating all sorts of other dishes. For instance, I recently made a version of these chicken pitas using simple, grilled chicken breasts generously seasoned with this rub – and it was pure perfection. This blend is incredibly versatile, serving as such an easy and effective way to infuse rich depth of flavor into a wide array of culinary creations. Don’t underestimate the power of a good homemade spice rub!
The Perfect Accompaniment: Roasted Vegetables
To make this meal even more wholesome and complete, tender leeks, sweet carrots, and creamy red potatoes are tossed with a touch of olive oil and a hint of the marvelous spice blend, then nestled at the bottom of the roasting pan. One of my favorite shortcuts is that I don’t even bother peeling the carrots. A quick scrub under the sink is all they need, and they’re ready to go, retaining all their natural goodness and texture. These humble vegetables and potatoes become perfectly tender and flavorful, absorbing all the delicious juices and spices from the roasting chicken above. They cook just right in the same amount of time it takes to roast a 4.5 to 5 lb bird. If you happen to be using a smaller chicken, simply cut your potatoes and carrots into slightly smaller pieces to ensure they cook through at the same rate.
For the grand finale, once the chicken has reached its ideal internal temperature, I carefully remove the roasting rack with the chicken and set it aside to rest. This crucial resting period allows the juices to redistribute throughout the meat, ensuring a supremely moist and flavorful chicken. While the chicken rests, the vegetables get a glorious opportunity to finish roasting and caramelizing in the oven. This extra time allows the leeks to become wonderfully silky and soft, the potatoes to achieve a creamy and tender interior with slightly crispy edges, and the carrots to develop a sweet, concentrated flavor that is simply irresistible. It truly doesn’t get better than that, does it? A complete, flavorful, and satisfying dinner is served, all from a single pan, making cleanup a breeze and ensuring maximum flavor with minimal fuss.
Middle Eastern Roast Chicken
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Equipment
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OXO Good Grips Poultry Shears
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All Clad Small Roasting Pan
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ChefAlarm Thermometer (or other instant-read thermometer)
Ingredients
For the Middle Eastern Spice Rub:
- ½ teaspoon ground sweet paprika
- ½ teaspoon ground cumin
- ½ teaspoon ground coriander
- ½ teaspoon ground allspice
- ¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
- ¼ teaspoon ground cloves
- ¼ teaspoon ground cardamom
- ¼ teaspoon ground turmeric
For the Roast Chicken and Vegetables:
- 1 (4½-5 lb) organic whole chicken, giblets removed see recipe notes
- extra virgin olive oil for brushing
- 1 batch of Middle Eastern spice blend as prepared above
- kosher salt to taste
- freshly ground black pepper to taste
- 3 medium red potatoes quartered (approximately 1 lb)
- 4-5 medium carrots scrubbed well, sliced lengthwise, and cut into 3-4 inch pieces (approximately ½ lb)
- 2 medium leeks, white and light green parts only sliced lengthwise in half and rinsed thoroughly
- ¾ cup (180 mL) low-sodium chicken broth plus more if needed
Instructions
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Preheat your oven to 425°F (220°C) with a rack positioned in the center. In a small bowl, combine all the ingredients for the Middle Eastern spice blend and mix thoroughly. Set this aromatic blend aside.
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Remove the whole chicken from its packaging and pat it thoroughly dry with paper towels – this step is crucial for crispy skin! Spatchcock the chicken following this easy guide. Place the spatchcocked chicken, skin side up, on a large cutting board. Drizzle it generously with olive oil, then rub the oil evenly over the skin. Next, sprinkle and rub the Middle Eastern spice blend (reserving 1 teaspoon for the vegetables) all over the chicken, ensuring it’s well coated. Season both sides liberally with kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper. Note: For the crispiest skin, it’s highly recommended to remove the chicken from the fridge at least 1 hour before roasting to allow it to come closer to room temperature.
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In a small to medium roasting pan, combine the prepared potatoes, carrots, and leeks. Drizzle the vegetables lightly with olive oil and sprinkle with the reserved teaspoon of the spice blend. Pour the low-sodium chicken broth over the vegetables and spread them into an even layer at the bottom of the pan. Place a roasting rack directly on top of the vegetables in the pan. Carefully transfer the spice-rubbed chicken, skin-side up, onto the roasting rack. It should lay mostly flat, ensuring even cooking.
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Roast the chicken in the preheated oven until the skin is beautifully crispy and golden brown, and an instant-read thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the breasts and legs (without touching bone) reads 157°F (70°C). Remember, the internal temperature will continue to rise by another 8°F to 10°F as the chicken rests, reaching a safe and juicy final temperature.
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Carefully remove the roasting rack with the chicken from the pan and transfer it to a large, clean cutting board. Allow the chicken to rest for at least 10-15 minutes. While the chicken rests, stir the vegetables in the roasting pan and return the pan to the oven to roast for an additional 12 to 15 minutes, or until the vegetables are beautifully caramelized and fork-tender. Note: If the pan appears too dry, you can add an additional ¼ cup (60 mL) to ½ cup (120 mL) of chicken broth before returning it to the oven to prevent scorching and keep the vegetables moist.
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Once the vegetables are nearly done roasting, carve the rested chicken. Using a sharp carving knife, first remove the legs and thighs. Then, using the breastbone as a guide, carefully remove each chicken breast from the bone. Slice each breast against the grain into ½-inch to ¾-inch thick pieces. Serve the succulent chicken immediately with the warm, deeply flavorful roasted vegetables on the side. Enjoy your amazing homemade Middle Eastern feast!