Greetings, fellow food enthusiasts! Today, I’m bringing a taste of the Middle East right into your home with a dish that’s both comforting and exotic: Sumac-Spiced Roast Chicken with Roasted Vegetables. This meal is perfect for a family dinner or even a special occasion, and it’s bound to be loved by everyone at your table.
Cooking at home has always been a passion of mine. From experimenting with new flavours to recreating beloved classics, there’s something magical about transforming simple ingredients into a feast. Today’s hero ingredient is sumac, a delightful spice that offers a tangy, lemony punch. If you haven’t cooked with sumac before, you’re in for a treat!
So, let’s dive into the ingredients. We’re starting with a robust whole chicken – around 1.5 kg should do the trick – seasoned with a tantalizing mix of sumac, cumin, smoked paprika, coriander, garlic powder, sea salt, and black pepper. The spice blend will infuse the chicken with rich, vibrant flavours that will make your taste buds dance.
Now, on to the vegetables. I’ve chosen a colourful medley of carrots, baby potatoes, red onions, bell peppers, and courgette. This combination not only looks stunning but provides a variety of textures and flavours that complement the sumac-spiced chicken perfectly. Roasting these veggies alongside the chicken allows them to soak up all those delicious juices, resulting in a truly flavourful side.
Let’s get started!
- 1 whole chicken (about 1.5 kg)
- 2 tbsp sumac
- 1 tsp ground cumin
- 1 tsp smoked paprika
- 1 tsp ground coriander
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- 1 tsp sea salt
- 1/2 tsp black pepper
- 3 tbsp olive oil
- 2 lemons, quartered
- 4 cloves garlic, crushed
- 500g carrots, peeled and cut into chunks
- 500g baby potatoes, halved
- 2 red onions, quartered
- 2 bell peppers (any color), cut into chunks
- 1 courgette, sliced
- Fresh parsley, chopped (for garnish)
Here’s how we’ll bring it all together:
- Preheat your oven to 200°C (400°F).
- In a small bowl, mix together the sumac, ground cumin, smoked paprika, ground coriander, garlic powder, sea salt, and black pepper.
- Pat the chicken dry with paper towels. Rub the spice mixture all over the chicken, ensuring it is evenly coated.
- Drizzle 1 tablespoon of olive oil over the chicken and rub it in.
- Place the quartered lemons and crushed garlic inside the cavity of the chicken.
- Arrange the carrots, baby potatoes, red onions, bell peppers, and courgette in a large roasting pan. Drizzle the remaining 2 tablespoons of olive oil over the vegetables and toss to coat them evenly. Season with a pinch of sea salt and black pepper.
- Place the spiced chicken on top of the vegetables in the roasting pan.
- Roast in the preheated oven for about 1 hour and 20 minutes, or until the chicken reaches an internal temperature of 75°C (165°F) and the vegetables are tender and caramelized.
- Once cooked, remove the chicken from the oven and let it rest for 10 minutes before carving.
- Garnish with freshly chopped parsley and serve the chicken with the roasted vegetables.
There you have it – a sumptuous Middle Eastern meal bursting with flavours and perfect for sharing. One of the joys of cooking at home is inviting the world into your kitchen through different cuisines. Each dish is a small adventure, and today’s journey took us to the aromatic streets of the Middle East.
As you tuck into this delicious Sumac-Spiced Roast Chicken with Roasted Vegetables, take a moment to savour each bite. It’s these small culinary explorations that bring so much joy and warmth to our everyday lives.
Happy cooking, and enjoy your Middle Eastern feast!
Ingredients
- 1 whole chicken (about 1.5 kg)
- 2 tbsp sumac
- 1 tsp ground cumin
- 1 tsp smoked paprika
- 1 tsp ground coriander
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- 1 tsp sea salt
- 1/2 tsp black pepper
- 3 tbsp olive oil
- 2 lemons, quartered
- 4 cloves garlic, crushed
- 500g carrots, peeled and cut into chunks
- 500g baby potatoes, halved
- 2 red onions, quartered
- 2 bell peppers (any color), cut into chunks
- 1 courgette, sliced
- Fresh parsley, chopped (for garnish)
Method
- Preheat your oven to 200°C (400°F).
- In a small bowl, mix together the sumac, ground cumin, smoked paprika, ground coriander, garlic powder, sea salt, and black pepper.
- Pat the chicken dry with paper towels. Rub the spice mixture all over the chicken, ensuring it is evenly coated.
- Drizzle 1 tablespoon of olive oil over the chicken and rub it in.
- Place the quartered lemons and crushed garlic inside the cavity of the chicken.
- Arrange the carrots, baby potatoes, red onions, bell peppers, and courgette in a large roasting pan. Drizzle the remaining 2 tablespoons of olive oil over the vegetables and toss to coat them evenly. Season with a pinch of sea salt and black pepper.
- Place the spiced chicken on top of the vegetables in the roasting pan.
- Roast in the preheated oven for about 1 hour and 20 minutes, or until the chicken reaches an internal temperature of 75°C (165°F) and the vegetables are tender and caramelized.
- Once cooked, remove the chicken from the oven and let it rest for 10 minutes before carving.
- Garnish with freshly chopped parsley and serve the chicken with the roasted vegetables.
