Moroccan – Spiced Roast Chicken
Recipe Date:
September 30, 2025
Prep Time:
35 Minutes
Cook Time:
75 Minutes
Difficulty:
Easy
Measurements:
Imperial (US)
What’s better than a cozy Fall evening with a chicken roasting for dinner? Not much that I can think of. This varies from the traditional with beautiful Moroccan spices roasted with sweet potatoes, cauliflower and red onion all in the same pan for easy clean up. Pair with our 2018 Derby Syrah.
Ingredients
- Whole Chicken, 3.5 lbs or so
- 3 1/2 tablespoons sweet paprika, divided
- 1 1/2teaspoons ground cumin
- 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes, more to taste
- 3/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1 small lemon
- 5 tablespoons olive oil, plus more for baking sheet
- 2 small orange fleshed sweet potatoes, unpeeled
- 1 pound cauliflower, cut into 1 inch florets
- 1 red onion cut into 8 wedges
Directions
- Preheat oven to 450F. Oil a heavy large rimmed baking sheet, preferably not a roasting pan.
- Pull out and discard the fat and giblets from the cavity of the chicken. Pat the chicken very dry with paper towels. Starting at the edge of the main cavity, slide a finger under the skin over each breast half, making a pocket between the skin and meat. Rub a total of 1 tablespoon of salt over the chicken skin and toss a little inside the cavity. Sprinkle the chicken generously with black pepper.
- In a small bowl, mix the paprika, cumin, pepper flakes, and cinnamon. Set aside 2 1/2 teaspoons of the spice mixture for the vegetables. The rest is for the chicken. Finely grate the zest from the lemon, cut the lemon into quarters, and mix the zest into the spices for the chicken. Gradually mix in 2 tablespoons of olive oil to make a paste. Spread a little of the paste inside the cavity, slather some of it under the skin over the chicken breasts, and rub the rest of the paste all over the outside of the chicken. Toss the lemon quarters inside the cavity.
- Tie the legs together if desired. Place the chicken in the center of the baking sheet breast side up and roast for 30 minutes. Keep and eye on it and if it browns too quickly cover it loosely with foil.
- Meanwhile, cut the sweet potatoes in half crosswise, and then quarter each half lengthwise to create wedges. Combine the sweet potatoes, cauliflower, and onion in a bowl. Add the remaining 3 tablespoons oil and toss to coat. Add the reserved spice mixture, sprinkle with 1/2 teaspoon each salt and pepper and toss to coat.
- After the chicken has been roasted for 30 minutes, remove it from the oven. Tilt the sheet pan and spoon off most of the fat. Return the chicken to the center of the sheet and spoon the vegetables around it. Return the pan to the oven and continue roasting until and instant read thermometer inserted into the thickest part of a thigh registers 165F, about 40 more minutes, depending on the size of the bird. If the skin is getting too dark before the meat is done, reduce the temperature to 425F.
- Let rest for 10 minutes, carve and serve with vegetables.