1. About four hours before serving, trim excess fat from the chicken. Slide fingers under the skin to loosen it from the flesh without removing it. Blend half the butter with saffron water, ginger, turmeric, salt and black pepper to taste. Rub half of the mixture under and over the skin. Store in fridge for two hours, then remove an hour before cooking.

2. Blanch the pickling onions in boiling water for about 30 seconds, refresh in iced water, then peel and trim the bases. 

3. Set a 28-30cm tagine over a low heat and cook the sliced onion with the olive oil and a pinch of salt, covered and stirring occasionally for about 20 minutes or until soft and golden. Add half of the remaining butter mixture to the tagine together with 4 tablespoons water and the honey. Then, add the cinnamon sticks and ground cumin to provide extra flavour to the broth.  Place the chicken, skin side up, on top of the pickling onions. Cover the tagine and cook, without disturbing, on a low heat for 1 hour. 

4. Remove the chicken from the tagine, increase the heat to medium and add the last of the butter. Cook, stirring, until the pickling onions are glazed and tender, about 3-5 minutes. Put the chicken back into the tagine, season to taste and top with mint and more freshly ground pepper. Serve with either couscous or rice.

Serving suggestion

Neil Perry's tomato and capsicum salad