Moroccan Roasted Chicken with Preserved Lemon Sauce

Steps

1. Prepare the chicken bath: In a large bowl, combine 2 tablespoons of salt, lemon juice from two lemons, and an equal amount of water. Add some parsley.
2. Soak the chicken: Place the big chicken in the mixture and let it sit in the fridge for 30 minutes to one hour.
3. Prepare the saffron soak: In a separate bowl, combine a pinch of saffron with 1 cup of boiling hot water. Let it cool down to room temperature while you prepare the marinade.
4. Make the marinade: In a mixing bowl, add olive oil, ginger (half a teaspoon), cinnamon (quarter of a teaspoon), black pepper, salt, harissa (1 teaspoon), two crushed garlic cloves, and a quarter chopped very thin preserved lemon. Mix well.
5. Rinse and massage the chicken: Wash the chicken to remove excess salt and lemon juice. Remove any impurities. Massage the marinade into all cavities of the chicken, ensuring you do not tear up the skin.
6. Marinate overnight: Cover the chicken and let it sit in the fridge for at least three hours or overnight.
7. Start cooking the sauce base: On medium-low heat, drizzle 1 tablespoon of vegetable oil on a pan. Add 1 tablespoon of ghee and cook two medium onions (grated and drained) until softened (one to two minutes).
8. Sauté aromatics: Add 2 tablespoons of parsley, two crushed garlic cloves, a quarter chopped very thin preserved lemon, and 1 teaspoon of harissa to the pan. Cook for 2 minutes.
9. Add spices: Add the same amount of spices used in the marinade (excluding salt) to the pan. Cook for another 2 minutes.
10. Build the sauce: Pour in all the leftover chicken marinade and then add 1.5 cups (400 ml) of hot water.
11. Cook the chicken initially: Add the marinated chicken to the pan. Cook uncovered for 10 to 15 minutes, ensuring the level of sauce does not exceed the neck cavity.
12. Cover and simmer: Cover the chicken and cook for another 15 minutes, moving it occasionally so it doesn't stick to the bottom.
13. Transfer to oven: Gently move the chicken from the pan into an oven-safe dish using a flat spatula. Add roughly 20 dark purple olives (or Kalamata) to the sauce in the pan.
14. Preheat and grill: Preheat your oven to its highest setting (Grill Setting #3, or top heat at 180°C / 360°F).
15. Bake/Broil chicken: Place the dish in the preheated oven. For the sauce, increase the heat to high and stir until it is thick enough that when split, it closes quickly.
16. Finish cooking: Cover the entire surface of the chicken with 1 tablespoon of melted unsalted butter. Bake for up to 15 minutes (or as needed) to achieve a golden brown crust, moving the dish every few minutes to prevent hot spots.