Sicilian Moroccan Roast Chicken

It’s a cold Sunday and I am dreaming of warm days in Sicily.  The breeze in Sicily is soothing and the sea glitters from the sun kissing it.  This is where the inspiration for Sicilian Moroccan Roast chicken comes from; I infuse the chicken with the spices brought to this Island from many conquerors.  When I lived in Nunavut the images from my yearly summer visits to Sicily etched in my mind made the long winter and frigid temperatures bearable.  Today is a cold day in Ontario, but I am warming up the house with spices.

Check out the couscous festival at  http://www.sanvitolocapoweb.co.uk/couscousfest.php

San Vito Lo Capo is beautiful.

Sicilian Spices

My Sicilian Moroccan Roast Chicken has Moroccan flavours.  The Africans brought citrus fruit trees to Sicily.  In San Vito Lo Capo , the annual Couscous Festival is a must see.  I visited San Vito Lo Capo a few years ago; it surprised me to see many restaurants in Moroccan style.  I love exploring these flavours in the recipes I bring to the table. It’s the oranges and the cinnamon that give this chicken that Moroccan feel.

I like chicken and we eat it several times a week; it somehow makes the house welcoming on a cold winter day.  The smell of oranges permeates the house as it roasts in the oven.  I use a nice colourful platter to pile on the couscous.  The colours remind me of Morocco.  After the chicken rests, I cut big chunks, quarter it and put it over the couscous.  The pan juices become a gravy and I add a tablespoon of maple syrup for sweetness and to compliment the orange flavours.

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Sicilian Moroccan Roast Chicken

Tempt your taste buds. 

Course Main Course

Cuisine Italian

Prep Time 15 minutes

Cook Time 1 hour 30 minutes

Total Time 1 hour 45 minutes

Servings 4

Author Renata Solski

Ingredients

• 1 whole chicken
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 2 tbsp orange juice
• 1 tbsp paprika
• 2 tbsp balsamic vinegar
• 1/2 tsp dehydrated garlic I buy mine at the Perth Garlic Festival
• 1/2 tsp oregano
• 1/2 tsp fennel
• 1/4 tsp cinnamon
• 1 orange
• 1 onion
• 1 1/2 cup couscous
• 1 1/2 cup hot water
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 20 red grapes
• 1/2 cup roasted peanuts
• 2 tbs butter
• 1/2 cup orange juice
• salt
• pepper
• 1 tbsp Italian seasoning
• chopped parsley
• freshly ground nutmeg

Instructions

1. 
   

   The Chicken

   Take the chicken and put it in a large zip-lock bag.

   Combine Olive oil, orange juice,balsamic vinegar, paprika, dehydrated garlic,oregano, fennel, salt, pepper  and cinnamon.

   Pour this over the chicken in the bag. 

   Marinade chicken for 3 to 5 hours.  Let the juices soak in.  

   Remove chicken from bag and discard juices.

   Place chicken on a baking dish with a rack.  

   Quarter the orange and the onion and place in the cavity of the chicken. 

   Sprinkle with Italian Seasoning, salt and pepper.

   Pour 2 cups water and 1 cup white wine in the bottom of the pan.  

   Set oven to 375 F and cook.  Check cooking times for your chicken.  Mine was small and I cooked it for 1 1/2 hours.  Cook uncovered so that you get that golden skin.  

   The Couscous

   Take 1 1/2 cups of couscous

   Add 1 1/2 cups boiling water

   1 tsp salt

   Cover couscous for 5 minutes.

   In a frying pan, put in the 2 tbsp butter.

   Toast peanuts in the butter and then add the quartered grapes.

   Add the couscous and orange juice.

   Toss, sprinkle with parsley and put on platter.  

   After the chicken has rested, cut into quarters and place overtop of the couscous.  

   Make a gravy from the pan drippings and pour it over the entire platter.  

   Garnish with parsley and freshly ground nutmeg.