Roasted Chicken
- Soomaali
- Digaag La Foorneeyay
- Français
- Poulet Rôti
- العربية
- دجاج محمر بالفرن
By Leila & Abdullahi · ·
I was in my second year of high school when the Somali government at the time decided to close all the schools for one academic year. All high school students were sent to the rural areas to participate in a literacy campaign (Rural Development Campaign). I was sent to Go’doon, a tiny village in the middle of nowhere. In Somali, go’doon means isolated, but forsaken describes the village much better. The government decided the name was so negative that they changed it to Gadoon (selected because it rhymes with Go’doon). They did not want the teenagers to be frightened by the name of the place. However, when we found out about the old name and how it bothered even the government, we were more apprehensive.
You might be wondering what that has to do with roasted chicken. Gadoon is in the heartland of Somalia and it is camel and goat country. There, chicken were despised. A few of them roamed the windy and dusty place and no one paid the slightest attention to the bug-eating creatures. It wasn’t just the chicken that were the object of aversion. Anyone who ate chicken was regarded with contempt.
When we, the city kids, descended on the place, the fortune of the few chicken changed overnight. Maybe misfortune would be the better word since they suddenly became food. The only shopkeeper in the village laid claim to the chicken and even the eggs were barely affordable. During the several months that we spent there, we never ate the birds. All we could do was just dream about roasted chicken.
Watch
Ingredients
1 cup = 237 mL · 1 Tbsp = 15 mL · 1 tsp = 5 mL. All are level measurements.
Yogurt Dip
Method
Tap a step to mark it done.
Bring the chicken to room temperature before roasting Steps for preparing the chicken Combine all the ingredients for the marinade: the butter, olive oil, salt, lemon zest, ground black pepper, xawaash, garlic paste, & lemon juice. Instead of xawaash, you can use berbere, curry powder, or just cumin powder.
Using your fingers, loosen the skin from the meat.
Avoid tearing the skin.
Spoon the marinade under the skin.
Turn the chicken upside down and repeat the same process.
Rub the marinade all over the chicken.
Combine 1/4 tsp xawaash and 1/4 tsp salt and sprinkle over the chicken.
Elevate the chicken on a bed of vegetables or, more preferrably, use a rack with the roasting pan. The chicken must not sit in its juices.
Roast the chicken for 30 minutes at 450°F/232°C. After that, add potatoes and roast for a further 40 minutes at 400°F/204°C. Let the chicken rest for 15 minutes before cutting or carving.
The marinated chicken Roasted Chicken Roasted Chicken Roasted Chicken Steps for preparing the yogurt dip Drain the yogurt. The longer you drain it, the thicker it will become. Refrigerate if you wish to drain it for long period or overnight.
Combine the drained yogurt, olive oil, lemon juice, and salt. Mix well.
Garnish with chopped green onions and a few drops of olive oil.
Comments
27 commentsThanks! Your comment will appear once we’ve checked it.
Something went wrong. Please try again.
Asalamu calaykuim sis do I roast the chicken for 70 mints total? 30 at first without the veggies and 40 after I add the veggies?
Wa’alaikum Assalam Warahmatullahi Wabaraktuh.
Yes, roast it for a total of 70 minutes.
walaal aad iyo aad ayaad uGu mahadsantahay jawaabta aad I siisay this was very helpful. actually aniga xitaa roast pan kayga Canadian tire uunbaan ka soo iibsaday but maynan haynin midka idinka aad isticmaalaysaan maybe they stopped selling it anyway I will do as you said in sha Allah thank you so much once again
Asalam calaykum walaalyaal this is a an amazing recipe and I was looking for it and found it in your website thank you. Waxaan rabaa in aan idiin waydiiyo waxaan shalay soo iibsaday roasting pan laakiin inside rack muunan lahayn kiinana waan u jeedaa in uu laayahay and i see that kitchenaid brand in aad isticmaalaysaan anigana midka aan soo iib saday waa the same brand marka mudkiina inside rack miyuu layimid mise separate ayaad u iibsateen and which store did you buy it from if you can tell me I really need your help JAZAAKA ALLAH QAYR
Wacalaykum Assalaam Waraxmatullaahi Wabarakaatuh.
Waa ku mahadsan tahay faallada wacan walaal. Birta shabaqa wey la socotay waxaanna ka iibsanay Canadian Tire. Haddaysan la imaan qasab ma’ahan; karooto ama qadaar kale ayaad dulsaari kartaa.
It looks delicious!!! Please tell me the ingredients of xawaash
Thank you!
Saludos!
Here is a link for the Xawaash recipe /recipes/xawaash-somali-spice-mix/.
waxaan idkan kaga mahad celinayaa wanag aad noo heysan walaalheyga qaaligaa aniga waxan ahan jiray dhoocilah ciyaarta jee wan ordi jiray makii hooyo mcn ey wax bareyso gabdhah iga waaweyn xitaa dariska ayey bari jirtay cuna karita hooyadey wax ey aheed cook school uga baxay cuna karinta manaan anig oon wax dhaa xaa aqoon xawaash ayaa isii gacan qabtay wad mahad san tihiin
Adigaa mahadda mudan walaal. Aad iyo aad ayaa ugu mahadsan tahay faallada wacan aad inoo soo qortay. Waan ku faraxnay inaad ka faa’iidaysanaysid goobta Xawaash. Qayr ayaan kuu rajaynaynaa.