Peri Peri Chicken with Pita Salad by Arlo Communal

Ingredients

• 1 whole chicken
• 1 red bell pepper, roughly chopped
• 4 green onion, roughly chopped
• 2 french shallots, roughly chopped
• 4 garlic cloves, peeled
• 2 bird’s eye chilies, stemmed
• 1 fresno chili, stemmed
• 1/2 orange, quartered
• 1/2 lemon, quartered
• 2 bay leaves
• 3 sprigs thyme
• 1 tsp coriander seeds
• 1 tbsp smoked paprika
• 1 tbsp tomato paste
• 1 tsp dried oregano
• 1/4 cup vinegar
• 2 tbsp fish sauce
• 1 tbsp sugar
• 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for cooking
• 1/4 cup fresh coriander, chopped
• 1/4 cup fresh parsley, chopped
• 2 cup flour
• 3/4 cup water, lukewarm
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 1 tsp yeast
• 1 tsp sugar
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 head butter lettuce, torn
• 1/4 onion, thinly sliced
• 1/2 fennel bulb, thinly sliced
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1 tbsp lemon juice
• 1 tbsp white wine vinegar
• 1 cup labneh
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 2 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1/4 tsp pepper

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 400°F (200°C). Pat the chicken dry inside and out.
2. Blend the red bell pepper, spring onions, shallots, garlic, chilies, orange, lemon, bay leaves, thyme, coriander seeds, smoked paprika, tomato paste, oregano, vinegar, fish sauce, sugar, olive oil, coriander, and parsley into a smooth peri-peri marinade.
3. Coat the chicken all over with the marinade, including inside the cavity. Roast for about 1 hour 15 minutes, or until the thickest part reaches 165°F (74°C), then rest for 10 minutes before carving.
4. For the pita, mix the flour, lukewarm water, olive oil, yeast, sugar, and salt until a dough forms. Knead for 5-7 minutes, then cover and let rise for about 1 hour until doubled.
5. Divide the dough into 4 balls and roll each into a thin 6-8 inch round. Cook in a dry skillet over medium-high heat for 1-2 minutes per side until puffed and lightly browned.
6. For the salad, combine the butter lettuce, sliced onion, and fennel in a large bowl.
7. Whisk the lemon juice, white wine vinegar, salt, and a pinch of sugar until dissolved. Toss the dressing through the salad just before serving.
8. Mix the labneh with minced garlic, olive oil, lemon juice, salt, and pepper until smooth.
9. Serve the carved peri-peri chicken with warm pita, butter lettuce salad, and garlic labneh.