Moroccan Lemon Chicken

Ingredients

1 3 to 4 lb Chicken, cut into 8 to 10 Pieces
2 T Good Olive Oil
3 T Chopped Fresh Herbs such as Rosemary, Sage & Thyme
2T Chopped Garlic
1T Ground Ras El Hanout*
Freshly Ground Black Pepper & Kosher or Sea Salt
2 Lemons

Directions

My mother used to soak the chicken pieces in cold water with about 1/4 cup of kosher salt. What she was doing was brining the chicken which pulls out impurities and tenderizes the meat. Do this before you cook the bird and you’ll notice a difference in the tenderness of the meat.

Brine the chicken as mentioned about. Rinse under cold water and pat chicken parts dry with a paper towel. With olive oil, or oil spray, grease an 9 x 13″ casserole or bake dish. Preheat oven to 375.

In a large bowl, toss chicken with olive oil, herbs, garlic, Ras el Hanout and season with salt and pepper.

Place in baking dish. Cut lemons in half lengthwise and then across in 1/2″ slices. Evenly distribute slices between chicken parts.

Bake uncovered for about an hour, basting with juices every fifteen minutes.

You may cover the chicken when done with aluminum foil, turn off the oven and allow to rest up to 30 minutes before serving.

*Ras El Hanout is a North African spice mixture that most commonly includes: include cardamom, clove, cinnamon, ground chili peppers, coriander, cumin, peppercorn, paprika, fenugreek, and turmeric.