Middle Eastern Chicken Recipe
This is a delicious chicken recipe that is versatile and can be served midweek to the family or to a large crowd for a birthday party or gathering.
In summer it’s even tastier grilled over the BBQ and in winter it makes a delicious sunshine on a plate meal, cooked in the oven. The list of ingredients look eclectic, but they combine to form a wonderful, quick and tasty meal.
I love adding various sauces which allows people to add their own flavourings to the dish. I always have a sauce on the side either my Tahini Sauce or Harissa Yogurt – a cup of yogurt mixed with a teaspoon of harissa sauce or Tzanziki – cucumber grated, with all the moisture of the cucumber squeezed out, mixed with dried mint, garlic and yogurt.
Serving Ideas:
The chicken can be served over fresh salad leaves to make a tasty chicken salad
Add chips and a pita and you have a homemade kebab style takeaway
Served with a delicious couscous salad
The flavours go well with Cracked Wheat/ Bulgar Wheat
Any left overs can be chopped and served with rice or as a baked potato topping
- 12 skinless and boneless chicken thighs
- 2 unwaxed lemons, zested and juiced
- 100ml/3½fl oz olive oil
- 2 garlic cloves, crushed (optional)
- 4 dried bay leaves
- 4 teaspoons paprika
- 4 teaspoons ground cumin
- 2 teaspoons ground coriander
- 2 teaspoons dried chilli flakes
- ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
- 1 teaspoon salt or to taste
- lettuce leaves, to serve
- For the Tahini Sauce
- 1 cup plain yogurt
- 1 Tablespoon tahini
- 1 small garlic clove, crushed
- splash of milk to thin if needed
- 1 tablespoon pomegranate seeds (optional)
- Depending on the amount of fridge space you have you can either add the oil, garlic, lemon zest, lemon juice and all the spices into the roasting dish you will cook the chicken thighs in (non metalic) or pop everything into a plastic bag. Mix everything together and add in the thighs. Massage the marinade into the chicken.
- Seal the food bag or cover the roasting dish and allow the chicken to marinade over night or for as long as you have in the fridge.
- Heat the oven to 220C.
- Allow the chicken to come to room temperature and roast for 30 minutes or until cooked through and a light golden colour.
- Tahini Sauce
- Mix all the ingredients together.
- If the sauce is very thick add a splash of milk to reach a pouring or dolloping consistency.
- Serve the chicken thighs with the tahini sauce and any of the above suggestion.
