Passover-Perfect Roast Chicken with Pesto and Preserved Lemons

Ingredients

• 2 whole chickens

• 2 kg small potatoes

For the Pesto

• 1/3 cup preserved lemons, chopped

• 1/3 cup pecans

• 2 cloves garlic, crushed

• 2 bunches fresh basil leaves (you can substitute with cilantro for variation)

• 1 tablespoon lemon juice

• 1 tablespoon olive oil

• Salt and pepper

Instructions

Separate the basil leaves from the stems. Blend the basil leaves with the pecans, preserved lemons, and lemon juice until a smooth mixture forms. Gradually add the olive oil while blending, until you get a creamy paste. Season with salt and pepper, and refrigerate the pesto until ready to use.

Peel the potatoes and cook them in salted water for about 15 minutes, until slightly softened (not fully cooked). Drain and gently crush them with your hands so they can absorb the seasoning better. Add about one-third of the prepared pesto to the potatoes, mix well, and season with salt and pepper. Arrange them in a baking dish.

Rub the chickens with the remaining pesto. Tie the legs of the chickens with kitchen string and place them on top of the potatoes.

Preheat the oven to 200°C (390°F). Roast for about 40 minutes, then turn the chickens over and roast for another 40 minutes, until golden and fully cooked.

Remove the chickens from the oven. Increase the oven temperature to 225°C (435°F) and return only the potatoes to the oven for an additional 15 minutes, until nicely crisped.