With the searing heat we’ve been having of late, the last thing you probably want to do is crank your oven up to a blazing 500 degrees.

But hear me out.

“Ivorian Roasted Chicken” does involve roasting a spatchcocked or cut-up chicken in the oven for at least 40 minutes. But we Californians know very well that this chicken could easily be grilled, too, thereby keeping the inside of our abodes cooler. So, do keep that option in mind.

Moreover, this juicy chicken is served with a delightfully named “Moyo Sauce Goes with Everything” that’s a chunky, salsa-like sauce that’s bright, refreshing, and stars summery cherry tomatoes, making it perfect for this time of year.

Lastly, this recipe was inspired by the roasted chicken served at open-air markets in the Cote d’Ivoire, giving you a beachy taste of a place most of us have never had the pleasure of visiting.

Thankfully, Pierre Thiam shows us the way in his cookbook, “Simply West African” (Clarkson Potter, 2023), of which I received a review copy.

Thiem lives in El Cerrito with his wife Lisa Katayama, a Tokyo-born writer and the co-author of the book, and their daughter Na’ia. Raised in Senegal, he is the executive chef of Nok by Alara restaurant in Lagos, Nigeria; the chef of the Pullman Hotel in Dakar, Senegal; and the executive chef and co-owner of Teranga in New York City.

As such, the recipes in the book take influence from not only West Africa (which encompasses Senegal, Ghana, Cote d’Ivoire, and Cameroon), but from his wife’s heritage, as well as his time spent working in the melting pot of New York.

You’ll find such delights as “Ndame Nachos with Black-Eyed Peas and Butternut Squash,” “Chicken Suya, Yakitori-Style,” “Baked Piri Piri Cauliflower,” and “West Africa Meets Japan Fonio Porridge.”

Both the Ivorian chicken and moyo sauce contain a surprising ingredient: Dijon mustard. It’s not a traditional addition, Thiam writes, but one that he like some other more contemporary West African chefs include for its sharp and tangy bite that adds so much depth.

Dijon mustard is mixed into the marinade with smashed garlic, lime juice, habanero, ginger, vegetable oil, salt, and paprika that comes together in a flash in the food processor or blender.

Rub the chicken with the marinade, cutting slits into the skin to really let it penetrate overnight.

Then, roast it in the oven until the juices run clear. (Or cook it on your grill.) The recipe stated a 40-minute cook time in the oven, but I found it was closer to 50 minutes, so I noted that in the recipe below. If the skin isn’t as crisp as you would like, just stick the chicken under the broiler for 2 to 3 minutes, a suggestion I also added below.

The moyo sauce couldn’t be easier. Just gently mix together cherry tomatoes, red onion, minced garlic, chopped habanero, a splash of lime juice, and that little bit of Dijon mustard. Diced green bell pepper is also in the mix, but I swapped that out for chopped Jimmy Nardello peppers instead. Just coming into season now, they add a fruitier, sweeter peppery taste.

The moyo sauce is fresh and zesty, with just enough heat and garlic to wake things up. It’s the perfect complement to the tender chicken, reinforcing its own moderate sweet heat.

“Moyo Sauce Goes with Everything” is aptly named because after you devour it with this chicken, you’re sure to want to make another batch to spoon over fish, shrimp, vegetables or most anything you grill this summer.

Ivorian Roasted Chicken

(Serves 4 to 6)

For the marinade:

1/4 cup Dijon mustard

1/4 cup garlic cloves, smashed with the side of a knife

Juice of 1 lime

1 habanero or Scotch bonnet chili, seeded and finely chopped

1 tablespoon grated fresh ginger

1 tablespoon vegetable oil, plus more as needed

1 teaspoon fine sea salt

1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika

For the chicken:

1 whole chicken (4 to 5 pounds), spatchcocked or cut into 6 or 8 pieces

Moyo Sauce Goes with Everything (recipe follows), for serving

Prepare the marinade: In a blender or food processor, combine the mustard, garlic, lime juice, habanero, ginger, oil, salt, pepper, and paprika, and puree until smooth, adding more oil as needed to facilitate blending.

Place the chicken on a clean work surface. using a sharp knife, make slits in the chicken skin to ensure the marinade seeps through and rub the skin with the marinade. Let sit in a large bowl, covered with plastic wrap, for 30 minutes at room temperature or refrigerate for 2 hours or up to overnight.

Preheat the oven to 500°F.

If the chicken was marinated overnight, remove it from the refrigerator and allow to come to room temperature before cooking. Place the chicken on a sheet pan or other ovenproof pan and place in the oven. Cook the chicken until the juices run clear and the skin is blistering and dark, about 40 to 50 minutes. (If you have an instant-read thermometer, the temperature of the legs should be 165° to 170°F.) If your chicken is done but the skin isn’t as crisp as you would like, just stick it under the broiler for 2-3 minutes. Remove the chicken from the oven, transfer it to a platter, and allow it to sit, loosely covered with aluminum foil, for about 10 minutes. Serve hot with moyo sauce on the side.

Moyo Sauce Goes With Everything

(Makes 2 1/2 cups)

1 cup quartered or halved cherry tomatoes (depending on size)

1 cup finely diced green bell pepper

1/2 cup finely diced red onion

1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil

2 garlic cloves, minced

1 habanero or Scotch bonnet chili, seeded and finely chopped

1 tablespoon fresh lime juice

1 teaspoon Dijon mustard (optional)

1 teaspoon fine sea salt

1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

In a large bowl, combine the tomatoes, green pepper, red onion, oil, garlic, habanero, lime juice, mustard (if using), salt, and pepper, and fold together with a large spoon. Taste and adjust the seasoning as needed. Serve cold or at room temperature. (Store the sauce in a resealable jar with a tight-fitting lid in the refrigerator for up to 3 days).

Adapted from “Simply West African” by Pierre Thiam with Lisa Katayama

Another African-Inspired Recipe to Enjoy: Sweet-and-Sour Braised Lamb with Tamarind