authentic Egyptian recipes
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Chicken Over Potato Layers is a sensational way to enjoy chicken. The seasoned butter bastes the chicken and then the juices run down into the potatoes giving them phenomenal flavour.
You’ll need a deep oven-proof dish or roasting tray measuring about 25cm x 40cm approximately.
First peel the potatoes and slice them finely to about 0.5 cm thick.
Butter your oven- proof dish.
Pre-heat the oven to 180 degrees
Using about 1/3 of the potatoes, lay a layer of potatoes in the buttered dish.
Lay the tomatoes and 1/2 the onions over them.
Grate one of the stock cubes over the surface.
Season well with pepper.
Using another 1/3 of the potatoes lay down another layer.
Top this with the other 1/2 of the onions.
Grate another stock cube over the top. And again season well with pepper.
Lay the remaining potatoes over the top.
Mix the tomato puree with a mug of boiling water. Stir well and pour it over the potato layers.
Pour extra boiling water into your baking dish if necessary. You need the liquid to come up to about a third of the depth of the potatoes.
Put the butter, garlic, 1 grated stock cube, cumin, lemon zest and chilli flakes ( if you choose to use them)into a small bowl. Mix together thoroughly and season well with black pepper.
Create a pocket beneath the skin on each of the chicken portions. Do this by making a small slit in the skin and then inserting your fingers to lift the skin slightly. Rub in about 1/6 of the garlic butter mix into the pocket of each chicken portion. Rub any left-over butter mix onto the skin.
Lay your chicken pieces (skin side up) on top of the potatoes.
Cover the chicken and potatoes with cooking foil.
Allow space between the foil and the chicken, so they don’t stick and also to allow for steam to percolate.
Put your ‘Chicken over Potato Layers’ into the pre-heated oven and cook for about an hour.
Check that the potatoes are cooked by gently inserting a knife into them – they should be beautifully soft.
Check the chicken is cooked by inserting a knife into the meat. There should be no redness in the meat and the juices should run clear.
When your chicken and potatoes are cooked remove the foil. Baste the chicken with a little extra butter and bake for a further 10 minutes. This will allow the surface to become a beautiful golden brown and the chicken skin to crisp up.
Remove from the oven and re-cover with the foil to keep warm. Allow the chicken to rest for about 15 minutes before serving.
I’m sure you’ll enjoy this recipe. Please let me know how you got on.
As always I’d love to see your photos.