David Feder’s tahini chicken
David Feder, a former Middle Eastern archaeologist and food editor at Better Homes & Gardens for years, is also an exceptional chef. He makes this Levantine-inspired dish every Friday night for his family. Be certain to use pure tahini, which you can get at Middle Eastern and health food stores.
Serves 4
3 tablespoons fennel seeds
1/4 cup tahini (sesame seed paste)
1 chicken (3 1/2 pounds)
- Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.
- In a spice mill or coffee grinder, pulverize the fennel seeds until they are coarsely ground.
- In a small bowl, mix together the fennel seeds, 2 teaspoons salt, and a liberal grinding of black pepper.
- Stir the tahini in the jar, making sure to incorporate any oil that may have risen to the top. Scoop 1/4 cup tahini into a bowl along with half of the fennel mixture. Stir to incorporate.
- Wash the chicken inside and out and pat it dry with paper towels. Discard the giblets and liver or save them for another use. Gently loosen the chicken skin from the flesh, taking care not to tear the skin. (You’ll find specific instructions for this in my recipe for Basil-and-Chevre-Stuffed Chicken on the opposite page.) Lean the chicken on something to hold it upright. Spoon half of the tahini mixture under the skin over each breast. Then use your finger to spread the tahini paste over the flesh under the skin of the chicken and onto the drumsticks and thighs. Rub the outside of the chicken with the remaining fennel mixture.
- Place the chicken, breast side up, on a roasting rack in a foil-lined roasting pan. Roast for 1 hour and 15 minutes, or until the chicken is golden brown, the drumsticks can be moved freely, and the juices run clear when the tip of a small knife is inserted in the thighs.
- Remove the chicken from the oven and let it stand for 10 minutes before carving. Remove the skin before serving.
Recipe by Rozanne Gold and Helen Kimmel, M.S., R.D. Low Carb 1-2-3.
ORDER LOW CARB 1-2-3 from AMAZON.COM
