Moroccan-Spiced Honey Roast Chicken

This was one of the courses served at my Walking Dead premiere party last week, and it was a big hit. I wish I'd had a chance to snap a picture of the chicken. You get crispy skin, plus a deep golden color from the honey. The Ras-El-Hanout also lends a warm sweetness to this recipe.

Moroccan-Spiced Honey Roast Chicken

1 3 ½ -lb chicken, giblets removed, washed and patted dry
3-4 tablespoons olive oil or melted butter
1-2 tablespoons Ras el Hanout (recipe given in an earlier post)
1 lemon
4 tablepoons honey, heated
1 cup water
Salt and pepper

Combine 2 tablespoons of the oil and butter with the Ras El hanout . Loosen the skin of the chicken and put this paste between the meat and the skin. Cut the lemon in half and place it in the cavity. Rub the other 1-2 tablespoons of oil or butter onto the skin of the chicken and season with salt and pepper.

Heat the oven to 450 F. Place the chicken on the rack of a roasting pan, breast-side down. Pour the water in the bottom of the roasting pan. Roast the chicken at 450 F for 15 minutes. Lower the heat to 400 F and continue roastingfor another 35-45 minutes. Flip the chicken and brush with the honey. Return to the oven and roast another 10-15 minutes.

When the chicken is done, the juices should run clear and a meat thermometer placed in the thickest part of the thigh should read 180 F. Discard the lemon. Let the chicken rest 10 minutes before carving.