Rose Harissa Chicken & Mediterranean Vegetable Tray Bake
A vibrant one-pan dinner featuring chicken thighs coated in fragrant rose harissa, roasted with Mediterranean vegetables, chorizo, and red wine for a richly spiced, robust meal.
A Sunday roast with an Eastern twist: chilli oil and black vinegar glazed chicken, crispy herb butter Hasselback potatoes, and stir-fried sesame cabbage.
This recipe brings together some lovely Eastern flavours with our traditional Sunday roast chicken. The combination might sound unusual at first, but it works beautifully. The chilli oil adds a warm heat to the chicken, while the Chinese black vinegar brings a lovely depth that cuts through the richness.
The Hasselback potatoes might take a bit more effort than your standard roasties, but they're worth the extra few minutes. Those thin slices catch all the garlicky, rosemary butter and crisp up beautifully in the oven. They're dead simple to prepare once you get the hang of the cutting technique.
The sesame seeds add a nice bit of texture and nuttiness that transforms humble Savoy cabbage into something rather special.
As for the cabbage, it's a far cry from the boiled stuff we were served as children. A quick stir-fry with chilli flakes, garlic and a touch of sesame transforms it into something vibrant and fresh. It's not what you'd expect alongside a roast, but that's exactly what makes this meal interesting.
What I like most about this dish is how the different elements come together. You've got crispy, spicy chicken skin giving way to juicy meat, the buttery potatoes with their crisp edges, and the vibrant cabbage adding freshness to the plate. It's all the comfort of a traditional roast with flavours that feel a bit more exciting.
If you love roast chicken as much as I do, give this a go next time you fancy a roast with a bit of a twist. It's not complicated, just a bit different.
Serve the carved chicken alongside the Hasselback potatoes and chilli cabbage. A light Asian slaw or pickled vegetables would complement this beautifully.
Try this with chicken thighs instead of a whole bird for a quicker cooking time, or swap the cabbage for pak choi or Chinese broccoli for a different take on the greens.
Did you make this? What did you think?
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