In south Lebanon, this was always a weekend favourite, says Jad Youssef. Served from a big tray in the middle of the table, it was the kind of dish that brought the neighbours in, uninvited but welcome. You can use chicken thighs or drumsticks if you prefer – but whichever cut you choose, remember that bone-in chicken will always have better flavour. For even more garlicky punch, leave some of the garlic cloves whole in the traybake and mash the roasted garlic into the potatoes before serving.
Ingredients (serves 4-5)
- 1 whole chicken (about 1.4kg-1.6kg), cut into 6-8 pieces, skin on
- 16 large garlic cloves, finely grated
- 250ml freshly squeezed lemon juice
- 150ml olive oil
- 1½ tsp fine sea salt, or to taste
- 1 tsp freshly ground black pepper
- 1½ tsp baharat (Lebanese seven-spice seasoning)
- ½ tsp ground coriander
- ½ tsp ground turmeric
- 800g Maris Piper or chipping potatoes, peeled and sliced into 1cm-1.5cm rounds
- 1 large bunch fresh coriander (about 80g), washed, picked and finely chopped
Method
- Preheat oven to 200C fan/220C/425F/gas mark 7.
- In a bowl, toss the chicken pieces with half the grated garlic, half the lemon juice, half the olive oil, and all the spices, salt and pepper. Leave to marinate for at least 30 mins (or up to 2 hours in the fridge).
- Rinse the sliced potatoes under cold water to remove excess starch and pat dry. Layer them in a large baking tray and season lightly with salt and pepper.
- In a separate bowl, mix the remaining garlic, lemon juice, and olive oil with the chopped coriander and 200ml water to make a fragrant dressing. Place the marinated chicken pieces on top of the potatoes, skin-side up. Pour the dressing all over the traybake, making sure that the potatoes are well coated.
- Use your hands to rub everything in gently. Wash hands thoroughly.
- Cover the tray with foil and bake in the oven for 45 mins. Uncover, baste the chicken in all the juices, then roast for another 25-30 mins, until golden and slightly crisp on top.
- Serve hot in the tray alongside Lebanese rice with vermicelli or a simple salad, and lemon wedges.
Taken from “Lebnani: a journey through family, food and the flavours of Lebanon” by Jad Youssef
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