Bold, golden, and deeply aromatic — this turmeric chicken is one of the standout dishes from Bavel, the modern Middle Eastern restaurant in Los Angeles. It’s known for its vibrant spice blend, juicy grilled meat, and restaurant-worthy plating.
Ingredients
- For the chicken
- Turmeric 1 tablespoon ground turmeric
- Oranges 2 teaspoons ground dried orange peel
- Fennel seeds 1 teaspoon ground fennel seeds
- Cumin 3⁄4 teaspoon ground cumin
- Coriander 11⁄2 teaspoons ground coriander
- Garlic 1 garlic clove, grated with a Micro plane
- Fresh turmeric 1-inch piece of fresh turmeric, peeled and grated with a Micro plane
- Orange Juice 1 tablespoon freshly squeezed orange juice
- Orange Blossom Water 1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon orange blossom water
- Greek Yogurt 3⁄4 cup whole milk Greek yogurt
- Chicken One 31⁄2-pound whole chicken, neck, wingtips, and innards removed
- Salt 1 tablespoon plus 2 1⁄2 teaspoons kosher salt
- Black Pepper 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- Toum
- Garlic 14 large garlic cloves, roughly chopped
- Lemon Juice 2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
- Salt 1 heaping teaspoon kosher salt
- Orange Blossom Water 2 tablespoons orange blossom water
- Canola Oil 11⁄3 cups canola oil
Instructions
- To make the marinade: In a bowl, combine the ground turmeric, orange peel, fennel, cumin, coriander, garlic, and fresh turmeric. Then add the orange juice, orange blossom water, and yogurt and stir to combine.
- To prepare the chicken: Season the cavity of the chicken with salt and pepper. Rub some of the marinade inside the cavity of the chicken.
- Using kitchen twine, tie the legs together. I like to keep the wings loose and not tied so the breasts and wings get crispy.
- Evenly season the outside of the chicken with salt and pepper. Place the chicken on a sheet pan and let it sit, uncovered, at room temperature for 30 minutes. Then rub the marinade all over the outside. (It may seem like a lot but use it all.) Transfer the sheet pan, uncovered, to the refrigerator and marinate overnight.
- When ready to cook, remove the chicken from the refrigerator and let sit at room temperature for 2 hours prior to cooking. (Cooking the chicken cold will take longer and might dry out the meat.)
- Preheat the oven to 450°F. Place the chicken breast side up on the rack of a roasting pan. Roast for 40 to 50 minutes (if the skin is browning too quickly, decrease the heat to 375°F), until the meat between the leg and thigh feels tender to the touch or using an instant-read thermometer placed in the thigh, the temperature reaches 160° to 165°F. Remove the chicken from the oven and let rest for 15 minutes to let the juices redistribute. Cut off the kitchen twine, carve, and serve with a side of toum.
To make the Toum:
- Combine the garlic, lemon juice, salt, and orange blossom water in a blender. Pulse on the lowest setting until just combined. Then in a slow and steady stream, add the oil while continuing to blend on low, gradually increasing the speed to medium-high until the mixture has fully emulsified. The consistency should be like mayonnaise with some soft peaks.
- Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 1 week. The consistency will thicken slightly after refrigeration.
Note: The garlic is what binds the oil with the other liquids to make more of a solidified consistency. If you double this recipe, it will be even easier for your blender to emulsify the ingredients.
