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Meat, Maghreb and Middle East

Mhammer chicken with homemade fries

Mhammer chicken is a whole chicken rubbed with warm spices like cumin, paprika and ginger, poached then roasted until the skin turns glazed. For 4 people, it takes 90 minutes and medium difficulty, at about €3.40 per person. The trick is poaching the chicken before roasting, which keeps the meat tender while the oven only has to brown the skin.

Tonight, mhammer chicken, first poached in its spices then roasted until glazed, with homemade fries for the hungry ones.

Mhammer chicken with homemade fries
Total time
1 h 30
Difficulty
Medium
Cost per person
€3.40
Calories per person
620 kcalcalculated by Kiloach, your weight coach
Season
Fall, Winter, Spring
The kids
They generally like it

Mhammer chicken gets its character from warm spices, cumin, paprika and ginger, worked into butter and garlic and massaged into the skin and flesh. Poaching in a lemony broth tenderizes the meat before the oven glazes the skin into a golden, fragrant crust. The result is a chicken that stays moist inside while turning glossy and savory outside.

It's a dish for a Sunday when you have time to poach then roast without rushing, or a weeknight when you want something special without having guests over. Homemade fries win over kids and adults alike, and the double frying gives them a crunch that holds up against the tender chicken. A recipe that brings the whole family around the same pot.

The ingredients

4 people

Butcher

  • Whole chicken 1

Fruits and vegetables

  • Onion 2
  • Garlic 4 cloves
  • Lemon 1
  • Potatoes 1 kg

Dairy

  • Butter 50 g

Pantry

  • Ground cuminoften in the pantry 2 tsp
  • Paprikaoften in the pantry 2 tsp
  • Ground gingeroften in the pantry 1 tsp
  • Frying oiloften in the pantry 1 l
  • Saltoften in the pantry 1 pinch
  • Pepperoften in the pantry 1 pinch

Allergens Lactose

The step by step recipe

  1. Mix soft butter, crushed garlic, cumin, paprika, ginger, salt and pepper into a paste, and rub the chicken with it.

    Slide a bit of butter under the skin, the flesh gets flavored all the way through.

  2. Put the chicken in a pot with the onions, lemon juice and 300 ml of water, cover and let it poach. 40 min

    Turn it halfway through so both sides stay tender.

  3. Take the chicken out, brush it with the reduced liquid and roast it at 220°C until golden. 20 min

    Baste it with its juices twice, the skin turns glazed.

  4. Cut the potatoes into sticks, rinse them, dry them and fry them a first time in hot oil. 10 min

    Dry them very well before frying, water makes the oil splatter.

  5. Fry the fries a second time in hotter oil to brown them, and salt them as soon as they come out. 5 min

    This double frying is the secret to the crunch.

Our tips to get it right

  • Use a free range chicken if you can, its meat holds up better to the long poaching without drying out.
  • Keep the reduced poaching liquid to baste the chicken while it roasts, that's what gives it the glazed color.
  • Cut the fries into even sticks so they all cook at the same rate.

The variations

  • Swap the whole chicken for thighs, the poaching time shortens to about 25 minutes.
  • For a vegetarian version, rub slices of squash or cauliflower with the spice mix and roast them directly, skipping the poaching step.
  • For busy families, bake the fries in the oven instead of frying them, they need less watching.

What to serve it with

  • A tomato and red onion salad
  • Flatbread for scooping up the juices
  • A homemade lemonade

Storage

The chicken keeps 2 to 3 days in the fridge in a sealed container. It freezes well without the fries, up to 2 months. Reheat the chicken in the oven to bring back some crispness, and redo the fries in a pan or oven rather than the microwave.

Questions about this dish

Can you make mhammer chicken ahead of time?

You can poach the chicken the day before and keep it in the fridge in its liquid. On the day, all that's left is to roast it until golden, which cuts down your cooking time.

What spice blend can replace the cumin, paprika and ginger mix?

A store bought ras el hanout blend gives a similar result and is quicker to measure out. Keep the lemon and garlic though, they stay essential to the dish's flavor.

Why poach the chicken before roasting it?

Poaching cooks the meat gently and keeps it from drying out, especially the breast. The oven then only needs to brown the skin without overcooking the meat.

How do you get really crispy fries?

Double frying is key, a first fry at medium heat to cook the inside, a second at higher heat to crisp the outside. Drying the potatoes well before frying also prevents oil splatters.

How long does it take to make a mhammer chicken with homemade fries?

Count 1 h 30 in total, prep and cooking included. The recipe is rated “medium”.

How many calories are in a mhammer chicken with homemade fries?

About 620 kcal per serving, for a recipe meant for 4 people. Calories are calculated by Kiloach, your weight coach, the app that partners with Mon Chou.

How much does a mhammer chicken with homemade fries cost?

About €3.40 per serving, or €13.60 for 4 people, based on average supermarket prices.

What allergens does this recipe contain?

This recipe contains lactose. Always check the labels of the products you buy.

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