Name: Roasted harissa apricot chicken with almond and herb couscous
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 40 min
Total time: 60 min
Yield: 4
Ingredients: 1.6 kg chicken; 2½ tbsp harissa; 1 tbsp maple syrup; 1 tbsp smoked paprika; 150 gm dried apricots; 8 golden shallots, quartered; 1 tbsp plain flour; 50 gm unsalted butter, chopped; 125 ml (½ cup) chicken stock; 250 ml (1 cup) unsweetened almond milk; Almond and herb couscous; 180 gm instant couscous; 2 cups (loosely packed) soft herbs, coarsely chopped (such as mint, coriander and parsley); 80 ml (⅓ cup) extra-virgin olive oil; Finely grated rind and juice of; 1 lemon; 50 gm almonds, roasted and chopped

This roast apricot chicken recipe takes the retro Australian classic combination of chicken and apricots, and updates it with spicy harissa paste to cut through the sweetness of the apricots. The result: an easy roast apricot chicken dinner dish that dials up the flavour tenfold.

Ingredients

1.6 kg chicken

2½ tbsp harissa

1 tbsp maple syrup

1 tbsp smoked paprika

150 gm dried apricots

8 golden shallots, quartered

1 tbsp plain flour

50 gm unsalted butter, chopped

125 ml (½ cup) chicken stock

250 ml (1 cup) unsweetened almond milk

Almond and herb couscous

180 gm instant couscous

2 cups (loosely packed) soft herbs, coarsely chopped (such as mint, coriander and parsley)

80 ml (⅓ cup) extra-virgin olive oil

Finely grated rind and juice of

1 lemon

50 gm almonds, roasted and chopped

Method

Preheat oven to 220˚C fan-forced. Mix harissa, maple syrup and paprika together and season. Rub over chicken. Place in a deep-sided roasting tray.

Toss the apricots and shallots in flour and place in the tray. Add butter, stock and almond milk to tray. Cover with foil and roast until chicken is starting to go golden (20 minutes).

Remove foil, continue to roast until chicken is blistered and sauce is bubbling (20 minutes). Rest for 10 minutes.

Meanwhile, for almond and herb couscous, place couscous in a bowl, add 375ml boiling water, cover with plastic wrap and stand until liquid is absorbed (4-5 minutes). Fluff up with a fork, add herbs, oil, lemon rind and juice, and almonds. Season and toss to combine.

Serve chicken on a serving platter with couscous on the side.

This recipe also calls for resting (see method).
Note

Looking for more roast chicken recipes? Check out our best roast chicken recipes here.

Recipe by Jessica Brook Recipe Writer and Food Stylist

Jessica’s culinary journey has covered every corner of the food world as a professionally trained chef, recipe writer, food editor, food consultant and stylist. With over 16 years of experience, Jessica has worked across many of Australia's most prestigious food titles, including Gourmet Traveller, Martha Stewart, Donna Hay, and Vogue Entertaining & Travel. When it comes to food, Jessica's all in. With a genuine passion for flavour and a deep appreciation for its diverse cultural influences, Jessica excels in crafting engaging food stories and creating unique recipes. Her style? Tasteful simplicity that highlights the essence of ingredients and heartfelt cooking. You could say she's a bit of a food fanatic, bringing her own unique touch to every dish she creates, particularly in her contributions to Gourmet Traveller through which her dishes resonate with readers seeking new and inspiring culinary experiences.

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Maxwell Adey Senior Food Editor & Stylist

Maxwell has always been passionate about food. Born into a restaurateur and award-winning produce farming family, he was strongly steered into pursuing a career in advertising after completing his Bachelor of Public Communication at University of Technology, Sydney. After a very short stint, he decided to enrol in Commercial Cookery at TAFE to follow his true passion. Maxwell started out working in some of Sydney’s finest restaurants (Est., Claude’s and Moon Park) which helped further his love of all things culinary and developed his technical ability to cook. Later, he was lured into the magical world of food publishing where he freelanced for ten years for notable Australian commercial and editorial brands. He has also run his own business where he sells his marinated olives, dressings and sauces at food markets and select retailers. He excitingly joins the Gourmet Traveller team to bring his technical and creative expertise in food to the brand.

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Ingredients

Method

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