flattened chicken
Almost ten years ago I backpacked through Morocco with my best, Laura and this week I was craving something warming and exotic. This crispy chicken takes only 45 minutes to roast in the oven, thanks to being flattened. The spice rub is sweet and savory and reminds me of all the tagine meals we devoured with our twenty-something-wonder in North Africa. As I get ready to start feeding our baby boy something other than milk this winter, I get excited at the journey I will get to show him through food in the years to come. Um, perhaps I will start with some sweet potato or mashed avocado first! Enjoy this chicken dish, one of the best parts is the crispy skin. I love to pair it with a simple green salad or cous cous or quinoa with lots of tomatoes and cucumbers and mint. Preserved lemons on the side are lovely too, but not at all necessary.

crispy flattened chicken + moroccan spices

Ingredients:
1 whole chicken
1 heaping tsp each of the following:
cumin
garlic powder
paprika
cinnamon
brown sugar
In addition to:
pinch red pepper flakes
sea salt and fresh ground black pepper to taste
generous drizzle olive oil

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Combine spices in a small bowl. Using kitchen scissors or a pointed serrated knife slice top of chicken (breasts) in half and flatten the chicken. This saves so much cooking time. Pat the chicken dry with paper towel. Using your hands rub the spices over both sides of the chicken and even under the skin if you can manage. Drizzle with olive oil and roast in a cast iron pan for 45 minutes or until crispy and brown. Let rest a few minutes before diving in. The skin is amazing and so crispy and chicken always moist from the quick cooking time. Enjoy!

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