Make our roasted chicken brushed with butter, cumin seed, paprika, ginger, cinnamon, and brown sugar. While many traditional Moroccan recipes call for the chicken to be slow cooked over an open flame, ours roasts in the oven at high temperature to produce a beautiful golden brown skin.
Ingredients You’ll Need
- Butter: Add flavor and moisture to the chicken using butter.
- Garlic: I suggest using four cloves, but don’t let my recipe tell you how much garlic to use – measure with your heart.
- Spices: I used a Moroccan-inspired medley of spices to season the chicken: cumin seed, smoked paprika, ground ginger, salt, pepper, and brown sugar.
- Herbs: Parsley and cilantro cook into the butter mixture to create a beautiful herbaceous coating on the chicken.
- Lemon Juice: Lemon acts as a tenderizer while providing a nice pop of citrus to compliment the warm spices; this is common in Moroccan cuisine.
How to Make Roasted Chicken
The full recipe with measurements is in the recipe card below.
Step 1: Preheat the oven to 450°F (232°C), then line a rimmed baking sheet with a wire rack.
Step 2: Warm butter in a saucepan over medium heat. Add the garlic and cumin seed, and cook until the ingredients begin sputtering.
Step 3: Stir in paprika, ginger, cinnamon, salt, and pepper. Cook until they become aromatic.
Step 4: Off heat, stir in the brown sugar, parsley, cilantro, and lemon juice. Set it aside.
Step 5: Pat-dry the chicken, then make 1-3 slits in the chicken pieces. Brush them with the spiced-butter mixture using a pastry brush.
Step 6: Line the chicken onto the baking sheet, skin side up; bake for 10 minutes.
Step 7: Brush the chicken with the remaining butter mixture and bake for another 15 minutes. If you prefer a bit of char, as I do, allow the chicken to broil on high for the last 5 minutes.
Step 8: Let the chicken rest for about 5 minutes before serving. Garnish the chicken with fresh parsley and cilantro and serve with couscous.
Expert Tips
If you want to make the BEST chicken drumsticks, check out our tips for how to bake chicken legs in the oven.
- Achieve crispy, golden-brown skin on your chicken by drying them thoroughly with a cloth before seasoning and baking them. This step is crucial to remove any excess moisture on the surface of the chicken, which can prevent the skin from crisping up properly.
- Create slits in the chicken, allowing the butter and warm spices to penetrate with more flavor.
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Serving Suggestions
What to do With the Leftovers
- Refrigerate – Transfer the leftovers to an airtight container or bag for 3-4 days.
- Freeze – Let the chicken cool, then transfer it to a freezer-safe container or bag. The roasted chicken will freeze for 4 months.
- Thaw – When you’re ready to eat it, defrost it in the fridge overnight.
- Reheat – For best results, reheat the chicken in the oven to serve.
Frequently Asked Questions
What’s the difference between roasting and baking?
Roasting requires a higher temperature of 400°F (204°C) and above to create a golden brown and flavorful “crust;” baking takes place at lower oven temperatures up to 375°F (190°C).
Should I cover chicken with foil when roasting?
I prefer roasting chicken uncovered so the skin crisps and turns a beautiful golden brown; if the chicken darkens before it’s reached the proper internal temperature, you can tent the chicken with foil to prevent the top from becoming too dark.
How do I know when the chicken is done?
Use a food thermometer to know when the chicken is done cooking. Insert the thermometer near the bone; the safe internal temperature for the chicken is 165°F (73°C).
More Chicken Recipes:
Roasted Chicken with Moroccan Spices
- 5 tablespoons butter salted
- 4 cloves garlic
- 2 tablespoons cumin seeds
- 1 tablespoon smoked paprika
- 1 teaspoon ground ginger
- ½ teaspoon cinnamon, ground
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon black pepper, coarse ground
- 1 teaspoon brown sugar
- 2 tablespoons fresh flat parsley, finely chopped
- 1 tablespoon fresh cilantro, finely chopped
- 1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
- 3 pounds chicken, bone-in, skin-on
- Preheat the oven to 450°F (232°C), then line a rimmed baking sheet with a wire rack. Warm butter in a saucepan over medium heat. Add the garlic and cumin seed, and cook until the ingredients begin sputtering.
- Stir in paprika, ginger, cinnamon, salt, and pepper. Cook until they become aromatic.
- Off heat, stir in the brown sugar, parsley, cilantro, and lemon juice. Set it aside.
- Pat-dry the chicken, then make 1-3 slits in the chicken pieces. Brush them with the spiced-butter mixture using a pastry brush.
- Line the chicken onto the baking sheet, skin side up; bake for 10 minutes.
- Brush the chicken with the remaining butter mixture and bake for another 15 minutes. If you prefer a bit of char, as I do, allow the chicken to broil on high for the last 5 minutes.
- Let the chicken rest for about 5 minutes before serving. Garnish the chicken with fresh parsley and cilantro and serve with couscous.
- Achieve crispy, golden-brown skin on your chicken by drying them thoroughly with a cloth before seasoning and baking them. This step is crucial to remove any excess moisture on the surface of the chicken, which can prevent the skin from crisping up properly.
- Create slits in the chicken, allowing the butter and warm spices to penetrate with more flavor.
- The nutritional information shown is an estimate provided by an online nutrition calculator. It should not be considered a substitute for professional advice.
RJ
Sunday 17th of July 2022
These were great to cook for a get together. Easy
Tressa Jamil
Monday 18th of July 2022
Love that our recipe brought people together. Thanks for taking the time to leave a comment.