Farah’s Roast Chicken with Garlic, Honey, Lemon and Chili Flakes – Juicy, Flavorful Roasted Chicken Recipe
This recipe, Farah’s Roast Chicken, is an oldie but a goodie. It’s one of the very first recipes that I posted on my website, and it’s been a part of my family’s regular meal rotation for several years. I rephotographed it this week and I’m resharing it for the Rosh Hashanah holiday, as I think it would be a nice, simple and affordable entree option. The flavor is very special.
This recipe was taught to me by our Persian Jewish friend Farah, though she stressed that it’s not a Persian dish. She learned this simple roasting method when she was living in Israel many years ago. For larger parties I sometimes double the recipe and roast two chickens; place them side-by-side on a platter and garnish for a lovely presentation. This chicken will make your kitchen smell amazing, especially if you roast a whole head of garlic with it.
Please note that the garlic and chili flakes in the olive oil mixture may burn a bit when exposed to hot spots in the oven. Best to cook it in the center of the oven and keep it covered until the very end, when you’ll uncover to brown the skin; foil is your best bet at keeping those little garlic and chili pieces from burning. Never fear if a few bits burn, it will still taste wonderful. Enjoy!
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Farah's Roast Chicken
Ingredients
- 1 whole chicken 4-5 pounds, split down the back
- 1/4 cup olive oil
- 2 teaspoons yellow mustard
- 2 teaspoons honey
- 1 teaspoon crushed garlic
- 1 teaspoon dried rosemary crushed in hand to release flavor
- 1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
- 1 medium lemon
- 1/4 teaspoon fresh lemon zest
- 6 cloves garlic
- Salt & pepper to taste
- 1 head garlic (optional)
- Fresh parsley and lemon wedges for garnish
NOTES
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375 degrees F, place a rack in the center of your oven and lightly grease your roasting pan. Whisk together olive oil, mustard, honey, crushed garlic, rosemary and red pepper flakes in a bowl. Rinse and dry the lemon; zest ¼ tsp of lemon peel into the olive oil mixture. Cut the lemon in half and juice it, add the lemon juice to the olive oil mixture. Reserve lemon. Use a fork to stir olive oil mixture until well combined.Rinse chicken, pat dry. Place chicken breast side up in a roasting pan. Turn drumsticks so that the end tips are facing outward and tuck wings behind the chicken. Tuck the juiced lemon halves and the 6 whole garlic cloves underneath the chicken below the breast, so they will release their aroma into the chicken as it cooks. Season chicken with salt and pepper, then brush the olive oil mixture liberally all over the exposed parts of the chicken. Be sure to use all of the olive oil mixture.
- If you’d like to roast a head of garlic with the chicken, slice the top of the garlic head off to reveal the cloves and place it root side down in the roasting pan. This roast garlic will turn out tender, savory and aromatic, perfect for spreading on crackers or toasted bread slices.
- Cover roasting pan with foil and pierce the outer edges of the foil a few times. Alternatively you may cover it with parchment paper, but foil offers the best protection for those little bits of garlic and the chili flakes, which have a tendency to burn.
- Place the covered roasting dish in the oven on the center rack and roast for 80-100 minutes, depending on the size of your chicken. Rotate the roasting dish 180 degrees once during cooking to ensure even heat distribution. Chicken is done when internal temperature reaches 170 degrees F as measured by a food thermometer. Remove foil or parchment for the last 20 minutes of cooking to make the skin brown and crispy. Serve on a platter garnished with fresh parsley and lemon wedges.
Nutrition
I’ve made this so many times. Perfect Shabbat and holiday chicken that my family loves.
I remember meeting Farah in the 80s and her catering business. I made this in a smaller portion using pieces. It was delicious!
I thoroughly enjoy your recipes and especially the history behind not only the holiday but the food it self. You have become my “go to” for special Jewish recipes.
Sincery, Anne Smokler
Made recipe fantastic melted in mouth like butter
I made your recipe changed a few things to go with what I had. Melted in mouth like butter!!!!
Made this last night and it looked just like your picture. The meat was very flavorful and juicy. Did the 2 heads of garlic also. Followed the directions to the tee so will be making this again. Served it with your spicy carrots and fennel also very tasty and went well with the chicken.
I can’t believe this recipe doesn’t have like 500 5-star ratings. Made it for the first time for our Rosh Hashanah dinner and everyone was raving! I can’t wait to make this again. The flavor is just incredible, and the chicken was so tender and juicy. Amazing.
Haha thanks Liz! Yes this one is a hidden gem on the site. Glad you enjoyed it!
By the way, this method of splitting a chicken is called “spatchcocking”
Actually, she didn’t split the chicken in this recipe, it was left intact. Spatchcocking is when the backbone is trimmed off and the chicken is laid out flat, which is supposed to facilitate cooking more evenly in the oven.
I just finished making this recipe, I’m disappointed because I think I let it cook too long. I am not very fast in the kitchen and the prep work took me over an hour. It smelled delicious baking, and I thought a just under 4-pound chicken would take at least 1-1/2 hours. When I took the foil off for it to brown, all of the breast skin and some of the leg skin stuck to the foil, so it doesn’t look at all like the pretty one in your picture, it looks naked! The drippings got very brown, I don’t know if that matters. The temp. kept climbing on the thermometer, I pulled the thermometer out when it reached 192, I couldn’t stand to see it get higher. The roasted head of garlic is delicious! I won’t have a pretty chicken for Yom Kippur, I guess this was my practice chicken, but I’m not giving up, I will definitely make it again!
Sorry to hear that Carol! This is definitely worth trying again. I think the issue was definitely overcooking, you should keep tabs on the temperature and when it reachers 170 remove it from the oven– anything more than that will start to dry out the breast meat. As for the foil, I now recommend a layer of parchment underneath the foil — this will keep it from sticking, and also will keep the foil from touching the food directly. Tenting the foil will also help with this issue (making it a sort of balloon shape over the dish). Hope next time goes better for you!
Superb! Kids finished off a large chicken and we’re looking for more! A definite one to repeat.
I am not seeing images for this recipe…how do I split chicken down the back?
Pics should be visible now, but only from the front. It’s pretty simple though– just slice the chicken straight down the back from neck to tail, then spread open. If you’re not sure the butcher can do it for you.
With poultry shears, cut through the ribs down one side of the backbone. You can then also cut down the other side of the backbone. I keep a bag in the freezer for the backbones and chicken necks so they can be used to make chicken soup when they accumulate.
I actually marinade the chicken in the olive oil, etc. For about an hour…intensifies the flavors and roasts up fantastic!
AWESOME! Our new roast chicken recipe. Thank you…I love your recipes.
This sounds lovely ~ time to roast some chicken!
I have been cooking chicken with lemon for years, but never this way. The very thought of this recipe makes my taste buds water!!!!!