Roast chicken takes centre stage this Christmas with our clucking good tips and tricks on getting the crispiest skin with a gorgeous, golden finish. 

Moroccan chicken 

Serves 6 

Brining not only seasons the chicken from the outside in, but locks in moisture and tenderises it too. The result? The most succulent roast.  

Ingredients

For the brine  

2L cold water
1/3 cup coarse salt
2 lemons, quartered 
Handful fresh herbs (thyme, rosemary and sage work well)
¼ cup honey or sugar
½ bulb garlic, crushed
1 Tbsp black peppercorns 
1.2kg – 1.5kg whole chicken  

For the spice rub 

2 Tbsp butter, softened
2 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp ground coriander
1 tsp ground turmeric
2 tsp paprika
½ tsp ground ginger
¼ tsp cayenne pepper 
½ tsp ground cinnamon 
1 tsp each salt and milled pepper  

100g dried apricots
3 small onions, halved
4 cloves garlic, peeled and sliced
2 cups chicken stock   

For the salad  

Cooked couscous
Handful pomegranate rubies 
Handful toasted almond flakes
Fresh mint, leaves picked 
Exotic mixed tomatoes  

Method 

1. Add brine ingredients to a large pot and bring to the boil.
2. Stir until sugar and salt dissolve. Cool completely. 
3. Place chicken into cooled liquid, cover and chill overnight.
4. Remove chicken from brine and pat dry with kitchen paper. 
5. Preheat oven to 200°C. 
6. Combine spice rub ingredients in a bowl and rub over chicken to coat well. Marinate for 15-20 minutes.
7. Place chicken in a roasting tray along with apricots, onion, garlic and stock. 
8. Cover with foil and roast for 30-35 minutes. Reduce heat to 180°C, remove foil and roast for another 30 minutes until golden and cooked through. 
9. Toss salad ingredients together and season.
10. Serve chicken on bed of couscous salad and drizzled with pan juices, if you like. 

Roast master tips 

TEMPER CHICKEN BEFORE ROASTING: Bring your chicken to room temperature before roasting, this ensures that your roast cooks evenly.   

OVEN TEMPERATURE: Start your chicken in a hot oven and lower the temperature for the last 20-30 minutes to avoid overcooking.  

COOKING 101: To check if the chicken is cooked, give one of the drumsticks a wiggle. It should move freely and feel like you can pull it right off. Alternatively, you can pierce the thigh with a knife, if the juices run clear your chicken is good to go.  

BUTTER ‘EM UP: Make a herbed or flavoured butter and stuff it under the skin. As the chicken cooks the butter will melt into the meat and crisp up the skin. 

REST UP: Rest chicken for 10-15 minutes after it comes out of the oven. This allows the juices to settle and makes it easier to carve.  

Recipes & styling: Liezl Vermuelen 

Photographs: Zhann Solomons