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Iraqi Grilled Chicken

This Iraqi Grilled Chicken, known as Djaj Bil-Bahar Il-Asfar, uses an intoxicating, feisty spice blend with origins from the ancient Silk Road.

Prep Time
15 mins
Cook Time
15 mins
Marinate Time
8 hrs
Total Time
8 hrs 55 mins
Servings: 4
Calories: 475 kcal
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: Middle Eastern , Iraqi

Ingredients

  • 4 lb bone-in chicken whole, cut in half, quarters, or single pieces
Spice Rub
  • 6 cardamom pods
  • 6 dried arbol chiles stemmed
  • 4 whole cloves
  • 3 tsp coriander seeds
  • 3 tsp cumin seeds
  • 3 tsp black peppercorns
  • 2 tbsp dried rose petals
  • 1 tbsp curry powder
  • 1 tbsp ground cinnamon
  • 1 tbsp ground sumac
  • 3 tsp ground ginger
  • 2 tsp allspice
  • 1½ tsp nutmeg
  • 1 tsp ground fenugreek
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 8 cloves garlic mashed into a paste
  • 3 lemons separated
  • 3 tbsp olive oil

Instructions

    Cup of Yum
  1. Heat the cardamom, chiles, cloves, coriander, cumin and peppercorns in a 10″ skillet over medium heat until seeds pop, 1-2 minutes. Allow to cool and transfer to a spice grinder (or coffee grinder) with the dried rose petals and grind. Transfer to a bowl and with a whisk stir in curry, cinnamon, sumac, ginger, allspice, nutmeg, fenugreek, salt, mashed garlic, the juice of one lemon (2-3 tablespoons) and olive oil. This will be a loose paste.
  2. Rub the spice mix all over chicken pieces and press the spice mixture to coat and adhere. Lift the wings up, get under there and rub it in. Get every nook and cranny of that bird! Cover and refrigerate overnight.
  3. Heat your grill to 400°F. Clean grill and oil the grates to prevent sticking.
  4. Shake off excess spice rub or clumps from chicken. Give each chicken piece a good rub all over once again prior to roasting. Place chicken on grill skin side up and roast for 40-45 minutes or until an instant-read thermometer inserted into thickest part of chicken reads 165°F.
  5. Juice second lemon and mix with 1/4 cup water and remaining spice rub in bowl or bag used to marinate chicken in. Use this mixture to baste the chicken twice while roasting.
  6. If outside starts to burn before chicken is cooked, move to cooler area of grill or tent with foil until done. Rest chicken 10 minutes and slice third lemon. Serve lemon slices with chicken.

Notes

  • Grilling Tips
  • Use indirect cooking if necessary.If the skin is getting too dark for your liking, move the pieces over to the cooler side of the grill to finish cooking.
  • Use a cooking thermometer. As mentioned earlier, bone-in chicken cooks much differently than boneless pieces. The bones helps to keep the meat juicy while it's cooking, but you will need to use a cooking thermometer to know for sure that the meat is cooked through.
  • Iraqi grilled chicken quarters are safe to eat when the internal temperature at the thickest portion reaches 163°F. You'll want to allow the meat to rest for 5 to 10 minutes before serving. During that rest time, cooking will continue for a few minutes, bringing the internal temperature up to 165°F.
  • Recipe adapted from Saveur.

Nutrition Information

Calories 475kcal (24%) Carbohydrates 21g (7%) Protein 29g (58%) Fat 33g (51%) Saturated Fat 8g (40%) Trans Fat 1g Cholesterol 102mg (34%) Sodium 688mg (29%) Potassium 609mg (17%) Fiber 8g (32%) Sugar 3g (6%) Vitamin A 516IU (10%) Vitamin C 53mg (59%) Calcium 140mg (14%) Iron 5mg (28%)

Nutrition Facts

Serving: 4Serving

Amount Per Serving

Calories 475

% Daily Value*

Calories 475kcal 24%
Carbohydrates 21g 7%
Protein 29g 58%
Fat 33g 51%
Saturated Fat 8g 40%
Trans Fat 1g 50%
Cholesterol 102mg 34%
Sodium 688mg 29%
Potassium 609mg 13%
Fiber 8g 32%
Sugar 3g 6%
Vitamin A 516IU 10%
Vitamin C 53mg 59%
Calcium 140mg 14%
Iron 5mg 28%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.