Harissa Chicken
A whole spatchcocked chicken rubbed in homemade harissa, charred over direct heat then finished low and slow, served on a bed of spiced yogurt with a harissa butter sauce spooned over the top. Proper weekend cooking.
Let the chicken come up to room temperature before it hits the grill, a cold chicken cooks unevenly and risks drying out before the centre’s done. Direct heat first for colour, then indirect with the lid down, gets you properly charred skin without the harissa’s sugars burning before the inside reaches 74°C (165°F).
Rest it for 5-10 minutes, tented loosely in foil, before you carve. Best served fresh off the grill while the skin’s still crisp, leftovers keep in the fridge for up to 3 days.
Harissa Chicken
CHICKEN · DINNER · MEDIUM
Real harissa, real char, worth the effort
Charring the chillies on the grill before blending them into the paste builds a depth of flavour you just don't get from a jar. It takes an extra step, but it's the difference that makes this dish.
Spatchcocking the chicken means it cooks faster and more evenly than a whole roasted bird, and it gets way more surface area in contact with the grill for proper char and crisp skin.
The spiced yogurt underneath and harissa butter sauce on top round the whole thing out, cool, rich, and spicy all in the same bite. This is a proper centrepiece dish.
Harissa Chicken
Ingredients
Chicken
- 1 Whole Chicken Spatchcocked
Harissa Paste
- 22.5 ml Olive Oil (For Chillies)
- 25 Long Red Chillies
- 8 g Ground Cumin
- 4 g Ground Coriander Seed
- 1 g Ground Caraway Seed
- 5 Garlic Cloves Crushed
- 8 g Smoked Paprika
- 1 Lemon Juiced
- 15 ml Apple Cider Vinegar
- 20 g Tomato Paste
- 60 ml Olive Oil
- 100 g Unsalted Butter Cubed
- 2 Lemon or Limes
Spiced Yogurt
- 320 g Natural Greek Yogurt
- ½ Cucumber Grated and Squeezed
- 5 g Coriander (Cilantro) Chopped
- 4 g Smoked Paprika
- 4 g Turmeric
- 2 g Ground Cumin
- 2 g Cayenne Pepper
- ½ Lemon Zest & Juice
- Salt & Pepper To Taste
Method
- Pat the chicken dry, remove the gizzards (if applicable), and let it sit out of the fridge for 1 ½ hours. Remove the backbone, flip breast side down, and push firmly to crack the bone and open it flat. Pat dry again.
- Heat the BBQ to maximum. Toss the chillies with olive oil and salt, grill 10-12 minutes until charred and soft, then cool.
- Deseed the chillies if you want it milder, then blend with the remaining harissa ingredients (except the butter) to a thick paste. Season to taste.
- Rub the chicken with half the harissa, working some under the skin, then drizzle with the reserved oil and season. Grill breast side up 10 minutes, flip 5 minutes, then move to indirect heat with the lid down for 35-40 minutes until it hits 70°C (158°F) internally. Rest 5-10 minutes, tented loosely in foil.
- Melt the remaining harissa paste with the butter in a saucepan to make the sauce, season, and set aside.
- Whisk together the spiced yogurt ingredients, season, and refrigerate until serving.
- Spread the yogurt on a platter, top with the chicken, drizzle with the harissa butter sauce, and garnish with coriander and lime wedges.
What internal temperature should the chicken reach?⌄
74°C (165°F) at the thickest part of the thigh, checked with a meat thermometer. Whole chicken always needs to hit this mark regardless of how it's cooked.
Can I make this in the oven instead of on the BBQ?⌄
Yes, char the chillies under a hot grill or broiler instead, then roast the spatchcocked chicken at a high heat, finishing under the grill for colour if needed. You'll lose some of the smokiness, but it still works.
How spicy is the harissa?⌄
It's got a real kick from 25 long red chillies, though deseeding them before blending brings the heat down noticeably if you want it milder.
Can I make the harissa paste ahead of time?⌄
Definitely, it keeps well in the fridge for a few days ahead, which makes the day-of cooking much simpler. Just hold off melting the butter into it until you're ready to serve.
