Middle Eastern Roast Chicken Traybake

This whole chicken traybake is packed full of vibrant flavours you'd find in the Middle East.

By The GH Kitchen TeamUpdated: 10 June 2024

This chicken traybake has all the flavours of the Middle East, with sumac, za'atar, dried apricots, pomegranate seeds and preserved lemons. It's so easy to prepare and is sure to become a mid-week, family favourite!

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Yields:

6 serving(s)

Prep Time:

30 mins

Cook Time:

1 hr 40 mins

Total Time:

2 hrs 10 mins

Cal/Serv:

692

Ingredients

For the chicken

300 g
couscous
2
preserved lemons, drained and roughly chopped
25 g
pomegranate seeds
25 g
flaked almonds
small handful mint, roughly chopped
50 g
unsalted butter, softened
1 tsp.
sumac
1 tsp.
za'atar
finely grated zest 1 lemon
40 g
dried apricots, roughly chopped
1
large chicken, approx. 1.7kg

For the dressing

100 g
plain natural yoghurt
1
medium cucumber, peeled and julienned
Small handful mint, roughly chopped
1 tsp.
tahini
juice 1/2 lemon

Directions

1. Step 1Preheat oven to 190°C (170°C fan) mark 5. Put couscous in a medium bowl and pour over 450ml freshly boiled water. Cover with a clean tea towel and leave to soak for 10min. Fluff with a fork, then mix through the preserved lemons, pomegranate seeds, flaked almonds, mint and some seasoning. Tip 2/3 of the couscous into a medium ovenproof dish (that will fit the chicken) and stir the apricots into the remaining 1/3.
2. Step 2Mix butter, sumac, za’atar, lemon zest and some seasoning in a small bowl.
3. Step 3Loosely stuff the chicken cavity with the reserved couscous and put in the dish, breast-side up. Rub butter mixture all over the chicken. Roast for 1hr 30min-1hr 40min, until the chicken is cooked through and the skin is crisp. To check it is cooked, insert a fork into thickest part of the breast and check that juices run golden and clear.
4. Step 4Meanwhile make the dressing. In a small bowl, mix together the yogurt, cucumber, mint, tahini, lemon juice and seasoning. Cover and chill until needed.
5. Step 5Once the chicken is cooked, remove the couscous stuffing from the cavity and dish and divide between plates. Transfer the chicken to a board and carve. Divide chicken among the plates and drizzle over the dressing.

Per Serving:

Calories: 692
Protein: 45g
Total fat: 37g
Saturates: 12g
Carbs: 44g
Total sugars: 7g
Fibre: 4g

The GH Kitchen Team

A crack team of highly skilled food content producers, the GH Kitchen Team are Good Housekeeping’s resident recipe developers and all-round food obsessives. GH Kitchen Director Sarah Akhurst is our resident hosting pro and loves nothing more than putting on a foodie feast for friends. Senior Cookery Writer Alice Shields is a former pastry chef and baking fanatic who loves making bread and would have peanut butter with everything if she could. Lover of all things savoury, Senior Cookery Writer Grace Evans can be found eating nocellara olives at every opportunity, and will take the cheeseboard over dessert any time. With a wealth of professional kitchen experience between them, they’re dedicated to ensuring every Good Housekeeping recipe is the best it can be, so you can trust they’ll work every single time.

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