Harissa chicken bake with crunchy burghul topping
SERVES 4 PREP + COOK TIME 1 HOUR 30 MINUTES
1.8kg whole chicken
2 large red onions (600g), cut into wedges
400g mini orange sweet potatoes, halved lengthways
¼ cup (75g) harissa paste
1 tablespoon red wine vinegar 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
1 litre (4 cups) chicken stock
2 cups (320g) coarse burghul
½ cup (75g) natural seed mix (sunflower seeds, pepitas and pine nuts)
500g baby roma truss tomatoes olive oil cooking spray
1 Using a sharp, heavy knife or poultry shears, cut down both sides of the chicken backbone; discard backbone. Turn chicken skin-side up; press down on breastbone with the heel of your hand to flatten.
Cut chicken into quarters. Place chicken pieces in a large bowl with the onion, sweet potato, harissa, vinegar and oil; toss well to coat evenly. Stand for 20 minutes.
2 Preheat oven to 180°C (160°C fan-forced). Transfer chicken and vegetables to a 2.5-litre (10-cup) shallow ovenproof dish; position chicken skin-side up. Pour 1½ cups (375ml) of the stock over chicken; bake for 45 minutes.
3 Meanwhile, for the crunchy burghul topping, bring the remaining 2½ cups (625ml) of stock to the boil in a small saucepan. Add burghul; cook, covered, for 1 minute or until slightly softened. Drain, then stand for 2 minutes. Stir in seed mix; season. Set aside until required.
4 Remove dish from the oven; sprinkle with the burghul topping, poking it into the gaps. Add tomatoes; spray with oil. Return to oven; bake for a further 20 minutes or until cooked through and topping is golden.
Not suitable to freeze or microwave.