Spiced chicken with yogurt sauce, fennel and honey

Cook this for your loved ones

Ingredients for the chicken and honey glaze: 

1 whole free-range chicken, spatchcocked 

3 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil

Kosher (fine) salt to taste

100g good quality runny honey

60g good quality sherry vinegar 

Ingredients for the spice mix: 

20g coriander seeds

30g fennel seeds

2 tbsp cumin seeds

1 tbsp black peppercorns

1 tsp chile flakes

½ tsp ground cinnamon

Ingredients for the yogurt sauce: 

200g greek yogurt

1 garlic clove, grated

2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil 

4 rasps lemon zest

2 tbsp lemon juice 

Salt and pepper to taste 

Ingredients for the fennel salad: 

1 bulb fennel

1 tbsp lemon juice

3 rasps of lemon zest 

1 tsp good quality (sweet) chardonnay vinegar

Salt and pepper to taste 

Optional cheese (provolone, pecorino, blue) work

Directions: 

First make your spice mix by blending the spices in a grinder or mortar and pestle. The mix should be chunky and textured with split coriander and fennel seeds showing. Place in a bowl and set aside. Make your honey-vinegar glaze next by combining the honey and vinegar in a mixing bowl and whisking together. Set aside with a brush or place in a squeeze bottle.

Next take your chicken out of the fridge to temper and season with olive oil, salt and the spice mix. Rub in the mix over the whole surface of the chicken. You can let it marinade overnight but a couple hours will also do. 

Set your oven to 180*C and place your seasoned chicken on a baking tray lined with a wire rack. While the oven is coming up to temperature make your yogurt sauce by mixing all the ingredients together in a mixing bowl. You could also add some herbs (parsley, mint, dill, coriander) if you wish too. Make sure to taste the seasoning. Set aside in the fridge for later usage.  

Next, roast your chicken skin side up for 40 minutes. Turn up the oven temperature to 220*C for 10 minutes and glaze the chicken with honey vinegar mixture. Take out the chicken once the internal temperature of the breast it approximately 72*C and the spices and honey are nicely roasted and smelling fragrant. Let the chicken rest for at least 15 minutes. 

While the chicken is resting, whip up the fennel salad. Shave the fennel with a mandolin and season with the ingredients listed. Gently mix it together and put in your serving bowl. 

To finish, carve the chicken and serve family style with yogurt, fennel and bread on the side.

Enjoy! 

Tobi x