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Recipe: Moroccan Roast Chicken with Cumin Roasted New Potatoes

Spice up your Sunday roast with this Moroccan-inspired chicken - juicy, aromatic, and served with cumin potatoes and minted peas.

Jake

• 4 min read
Recipe: Moroccan Roast Chicken with Cumin Roasted New Potatoes

Looking to spice up your usual Sunday roast? This Moroccan-flavoured chicken dish is everything you love about a comforting roast, but with a North African twist. It’s warm, aromatic, juicy, and comes with crispy cumin potatoes and minted peas to balance it all out. Oh and the gravy? Absolute knockout.

I'm not actually sure exactly where this recipe comes from; it was passed to me by a friend, and I've tweaked it a bit to my liking.

The Ingredients Required

First, let's go over all the ingredients required for each part of this dish.

Marinade

  • 2 tsp ground cinnamon
  • 2 tsp ground cumin
  • 2 tsp ground coriander
  • 2 tsp paprika
  • 2 tsp turmeric powder
  • 4 tbsp sunflower oil
  • 2 tsp garlic
  • Honey
  • 1 tsp lemon juice
  • 1 tbsp thyme

Roast Lemon Chicken

  • 1 large whole chicken
  • 2 garlic cloves
  • 1 large onion, cut into small slices
  • 1 lemon, cut in half

Cumin New Roast Potatoes

  • 1kg new potatoes
  • 1 tbsp sunflower oil
  • 2 tbsp cumin seeds

The Gravy: Pièce de Résistance

  • 200ml red wine
  • 1 tbsp plain flour
  • 250ml chicken stock
  • 1 tsp Marmite
  • Knob of butter

Minted Peas

  • 600g fresh or frozen peas
  • Leaves from 1 bunch of fresh mint or coriander, to finish
  • Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

First, Marinate That Bird

In a bowl, mix up all your marinade ingredients with 2 tablespoons of water. Then take your whole chicken and, using a sharp knife, carefully slash into the thickest parts of the breast and legs. This helps the flavours soak deep into the meat.

Now, get your hands dirty. Slather that spice mix all over the chicken, holding it above the bowl so nothing goes to waste. Place the bird breast-side down in the bowl, cover it, and let it marinate in the fridge.

💡
Let it marinate for a full 6 hours if you can it’s worth it.

Time to Roast

Preheat your oven to 200°C (fan 180°C) / 400°F / Gas Mark 6.

Smash 2 garlic cloves with the side of a knife or a pan, and chuck them into a roasting tray along with a large onion cut into slices. Pull your marinated chicken from the bowl and place it breast-side up in the tin. Smear any remaining marinade on top and season well with salt and pepper.

Cut a lemon in half and pop both halves into the chicken’s cavity. Then roast the chicken for around 1.5 hours, basting every so often to keep it juicy.

Cumin Roast New Potatoes

About 45 minutes before the chicken’s done, get your potatoes going. You can prepare these as soon as the chicken goes in to make it a bit easier. Just don't put them into the oven right away!

  • With 1kg new potatoes in a saucepan, bring to the boil and simmer for 5 minutes.
  • Toss them in a tray with 1 tbsp sunflower oil (or spray oil).
  • Sprinkle over 2 tbsp cumin seeds, some salt and pepper.
  • Roast in the oven for 40-50 minutes, until golden and tender.

Check the Chicken's Done

After 1.5 hours, test if the chicken is cooked by inserting a sharp knife into the thickest part of the thigh. The juices should run clear. If not, pop it back in and check every 5 minutes.

Once it’s done, tip the chicken up so the juices run out of the cavity and into the tray. Transfer the bird to a plate, cover with foil, and let it rest for 15 minutes. This helps the juices redistribute and keeps the meat tender.

That Gravy Magic

Pop the roasting tray over medium to high heat (or pour the juices into a saucepan if your tray doesn’t work on the hob). Leave all the onions and garlic in - trust me, it’s flavour gold.

Once the juices start bubbling:

  • Add 200ml wine (or extra stock) and bubble for 2–3 minutes.
  • Mix 1 tbsp plain flour with 2 tbsp water into a paste and stir it in.
  • Add 250ml chicken stock, ½ tsp Marmite, and a few dashes of Worcestershire sauce and the knob of butter.
  • Crank up the heat and reduce for 8–10 minutes, stirring often.

To finish, pour it all through a sieve into a jug. Press the garlic and onion mash through with a spoon to get every last bit of flavour. Scrape the underside of the sieve too - it’s all gravy treasure. Return the mix to the pan, reheat gently, and season to taste.

Minted Peas (Because You Need Greens)

While everything else is finishing up, cook your 600g frozen or fresh peas according to the packet. Once done, drain them and toss them with sea salt, black pepper, and a handful of chopped fresh mint or coriander.

Bring It All Together

Finally. The best bit, well, almost. The bit that leads to the best bit anyway...

  • Divide your cumin potatoes across plates.
  • Slice up that beautifully rested chicken and place it proudly on top.
  • Add a generous helping of minted peas on the side.
  • Drench the whole thing in that lush, savoury gravy.
  • Finish with a flourish of fresh mint or coriander leaves.

Final Thoughts

This is one of those meals that turns a normal Sunday into something you’ll crave all week. It’s bold, comforting, and just a little bit fancy without being fussy.

Let me know if you give it a try - if you change anything, let me know with a comment!