Chicken Crown with Ethiopian Berberé Spice

A chicken crown is the two breasts still on the ribcage with the legs and wings removed. It's an underused cut — cheaper than a whole bird, quicker to cook, and the bone-in structure keeps the meat moist in a way that boneless breasts simply don't. Skin on, marinated, and coated in a fiery paste made from homemade Ethiopian Berberé spice — this is a chicken crown recipe that delivers considerably more than its simplicity suggests.

Chicken crown recipe with Ethiopian Berberé spice paste — Casa Adora 2015 – The Flexible Chef

The aroma before, during and after cooking was fabulous. The chicken was moist inside and wonderfully fragrant and crispy on the outside. The coating and stock had permeated the bed of vegetables as if there wasn't enough going on already. This was a fabulous Saturday night meal for two — and my apologies for the absence of a final image of the cooked bird. Oven-to-table-to-stomach did not allow sufficient time.

The Chicken Crown Recipe

Ingredients (serves 2)

• 1 chicken crown
• 2 tbsp Berberé spice blend
• Olive oil
• 1 carrot, peeled and diced
• 1 small onion, peeled and diced
• 1 small jar chickpeas, drained and rinsed
• 2 cloves garlic, peeled, smashed and chopped
• Hot chicken stock
• 1–2 bay leaves
• Flat leaf parsley to finish

Method — Hob Version

1. Make a paste by combining the Berberé spice powder with enough olive oil to form a thick paste.
2. Rub or brush the paste all over the crown. Cover and marinate in the fridge for a few hours. Bring to room temperature before cooking.
3. Heat olive oil in a medium-hot deep-sided frying pan. Brown the crown skin side down for 10 minutes, then turn and cook for 5 minutes, adding the onion, bay leaf, garlic and carrot at the same time.
4. Turn the crown back over and add enough hot stock to cover the vegetables. Cover and cook for a further 20 minutes.
5. Add the chickpeas, replace the lid and cook for 5 minutes until the chicken is cooked through and the stock has reduced. Serve with couscous.

Method — Oven Version

Place the crown over chopped carrots, onions and garlic in a roasting tin. Roast at 200°C / fan 180°C skin side down for 15 minutes, then turn over, add a little stock and cook for a further 25 minutes until the skin is crispy and the chicken is cooked through. Adjust timing according to the size of the crown. Serve with roast potatoes and steamed broccoli.

Footnote This chicken crown recipe features in my Curry Recipes hub — the complete guide to curries, spice blends, bases, chutneys and sides from The Flexible Chef. It also appears in my Chicken Recipes hub — the complete collection of chicken dishes from The Flexible Chef.

Wonky photos, proper food, genuine adventures — The Flexible Chef