RECIPE

Chermoula Brick Chicken with Melted Cherry Tomatoes

Name: Chermoula Brick Chicken with Melted Cherry Tomatoes
Cook time: 1 h
Yield: 4

Recipe Created For

Paella Pan

Main Course

Poultry

Cook Time

Over 1 hour

Serving Size

Cook Mode

INGREDIENTS

3 tbsp cumin seeds, toasted
6 garlic cloves
3 tbsp tomato paste
2 cups roughly chopped cilantro, plus more for garnish
1 cup roughly chopped parsley
2 tbsp sweet paprika
1 tsp salt
1 tsp freshly ground black pepper
3/4 cup olive oil
1 3-4 lb whole chicken
2 tbsp vegetable oil
2 shallots, quartered
2 cup cherry tomatoes
1 naval orange, halved

EQUIPMENT

The Le Creuset Paella pan makes the perfect vessel for searing on the stove top and then transferring to the oven. In this recipe, a whole chicken is seared in the pan and then baked in the oven with warm spiced chermoula and melting cherry tomatoes.

INGREDIENTS

3 tbsp cumin seeds, toasted
6 garlic cloves
3 tbsp tomato paste
2 cups roughly chopped cilantro, plus more for garnish
1 cup roughly chopped parsley
2 tbsp sweet paprika
1 tsp salt
1 tsp freshly ground black pepper
3/4 cup olive oil
1 3-4 lb whole chicken
2 tbsp vegetable oil
2 shallots, quartered
2 cup cherry tomatoes
1 naval orange, halved

EQUIPMENT

INSTRUCTIONS

Place cumin in a small frying pan over medium heat. Cook, shaking pan occasionally, until slightly darker and fragrant, 2 to 3 minutes. Transfer to a plate to cool.

Place cooled cumin, garlic, cilantro, parsley, paprika, salt, pepper and olive oil in a food processor. Run the machine until a pesto-like paste forms.

Spatchcock the chicken. Place the chicken on a cutting board breast side down. Using chicken sheers, cut along both sides of the backbone to remove. Discard back bone or save for stock or sauce.

Flip the chicken so the cavity is lying flat on the board. Press firmly on the breastbone to break so that the chicken lays flat.

Season the chicken with salt on both sides. Preheat the oven to 350ºF.

Heat the vegetable oil in the Le Creuset Paella pan over high. Gently place the chicken breast side down in the pan. Use a heavy Dutch Oven or heavy bricks wrapped in foil to weigh the chicken down flush to the pan. Let seer until golden brown, about 8 minutes. Remove the weight and flip the chicken breast side up. Remove from

Spread 1/2 cup of chermoula over the chicken. Add the cherry tomatoes, shallots and orange halves around the chicken.

Pour 1/2 cup of water into the pan and bake in the oven until chicken is cooked through, about 40 minutes. Let rest for 15 minutes before serving.

Squeeze orange halves over chicken and garnish with more cilantro.

Serve chicken with rice or crusty bread, spooning the juicy tomatoes and delicious sauce over top. Serve with remaining chermoula or reserve for another time.

Recipe created by @MichelleRabin