Ingredients:

• Chicken (Roasting chicken; I got a 7.2 lbs chicken)
• Ras al hanout (2 tablespoons)
• Black Pepper (6-8 peppercorns)
• Preserved Lemons (2 lemons)
• Saffron (a pinch)
• Rose (petals and buds; 2 tablespoons; optional)
• Olive Oil
• Fresh Cilantro (for garnish)
• Butter (2 tablespoons)

Directions:

In a small bowl, add the saffron and 1/4 cup of warm water and let it sit for 5-10 minutes.

Finely chop one of the preserved lemons and bash it with ras al hanout, sea salt, and black peppercorns using a pestle and mortar. Gradually add the saffron water into the mortar and bash it into a fine paste.

Slash the chicken breast a few times and rub in the marinade. Drizzle with olive and rub again. Splash over any remaining saffron water. Leave it for marinate preferably overnight or at least for 2 hours.

Preheat the oven to 180­^oC/ 350^oF.

Slice the remaining lemon and divide it between the base and the top of the chicken and a couple in the cavity.

Place the chicken in a roasting tray and scatter the rose over the chicken (if using) and roast for 2 hours (This could vary based on the size of the chicken; my chicken came with roasting instructions) or until the internal temperature is 74^oC/165^oF.

At this point, switch the oven to broil and cook for another 10 – 15 minutes. This will make the chicken skin a little crispy.

Remove the chicken over to a plate/resting rack.

Place the roasting tray on the hob and set the heat to low. Add 1/4 cup of water and using a wooden spatula stir and scrape off all the that’s stuck to the bottom of the tray. Then add the butter into the tray and keep moving it around the tray till its gone.

You can place the chicken back into the tray and garnish with some fresh cilantro and take some amazing photos before you cut a piece and serve it with some of that amazing sauce over it.