Lebanese roast chicken with lemon, garlic, and cilantro sauce

“Batata Harra,” meaning spicy potato in Arabic, is a Lebanese side dish of roasted potato that is topped with a hot, citric, and herbaceous sauce, consisting of toasted garlic, hot pepper, lemon, and fresh cilantro. The dish is conceptually similar to the favorite tapa item “Patatas Bravas,” since both the dishes feature a dish of roasted potato, topped with a spicy sauce (though the Lebanese version is not as hot, therefore, not restricted only to the brave ones). Here, I extend the concept from a side dish of potatoes to the main dish of roasted chicken. This dish was originally savored by the author in a Lebanese restaurant in South Bay California and, here, efforts are made towards replication of that lovely dish.

Ingredients:

2.2 Pounds (~ 1 kg or 1 small or half a large) whole chicken*

1 Pound (~450 gr) Russet potatoes (optional), cut
Cilantro lemon sauce:

3 cloves of garlic, grated

2 TBSP virgin olive oil (or regular olive oil)

½ TSP cumin

1 Kashmiri chili, torn to small pieces

1 TBSP Urfa pepper (coarse Chipotle powder also works fantastically)

1 lemon, zest and juice

1/4 cup cilantro, finely chopped
* The recipe also works for store-bought rotisserie chicken. In such a case, only make the sauce and smear the chicken with it.

Cut the potatoes and arrange on the bottom of a baking dish or an oven tray. Arrange the chicken atop the potato bed and rub its skin with oil and then season with salt and pepper. Bake in a preheated 400F (~205C) for as long as it takes for the chicken to fully cook. You may choose not to use the potatoes; furthermore, you can skip the whole baking process and use a rotisserie chicken. One way or another, Continue with making the sauce by toasting the garlic in the oil until it is lightly brown and smells nutty. Add the cumin, lemon zest, and torn chili pieces and sauté for another thirty seconds. Remove from heat and let cool. Add the lemon juice, Urfa pepper, and finely chopped cilantro. Mix well and set aside.

When ready, smother the roasted with the sauce and serve immediately.