Chicken Family friendly Main

Harissa, cumin and lemon chicken

Name: Harissa, cumin and lemon chicken
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 55 min
Total time: 70 min
Yield: 6
Ingredients: 1 lemon, plus wedges to serve; 1/3 cup (80ml) extra virgin olive oil; 1 1/2 tbs finely chopped fresh ginger; 1 1/2 tbs ground cumin; 1 1/2 tbs ground coriander; 1 1/4 tsp mild curry powder; 3/4 tsp smoked paprika (pimenton)*; 1/2 tsp ground cloves; 1 1/2 tsp each ground cinnamon, ground turmeric and caster sugar; 1 tbs harissa*, or to taste; 1 tsp sundried tomato paste; 2 onions, halved, thinly sliced; 3 garlic cloves, finely chopped; 3 fresh bay leaves*; 6 large chicken thigh cutlets; Couscous, coriander and mint leaves, and thick Greek-style yoghurt, to serve

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by Belinda Jeffery

Cook and author

Oct 03, 2015

I've learnt the hard way that the most important thing here is the quality of the harissa. All harissa is hot, but some are searingly so with little else to recommend them, whereas others are more complex and have a terrific fruity depth to them. To offset this I've included sundried tomato paste as well as harissa, however after you've made this once, you may want to vary the quantities. My favourite is Belazu Rose Harissa – I stock up big time whenever I can find it.

1 lemon, plus wedges to serve
1/3 cup (80ml) extra virgin olive oil
1 1/2 tbs finely chopped fresh ginger
1 1/2 tbs ground cumin
1 1/2 tbs ground coriander
1 1/4 tsp mild curry powder
3/4 tsp smoked paprika (pimenton)*
1/2 tsp ground cloves
1 1/2 tsp each ground cinnamon, ground turmeric and caster sugar
1 tbs harissa*, or to taste
1 tsp sundried tomato paste
2 onions, halved, thinly sliced
3 garlic cloves, finely chopped
3 fresh bay leaves*
6 large chicken thigh cutlets
Couscous, coriander and mint leaves, and thick Greek-style yoghurt, to serve

Method

1.

Finely grate the lemon zest into a bowl. Remove the white pith from the lemon, then slice the flesh into thin rounds, discarding seeds. Set aside.
2.

Place the oil, ginger, dry spices, sugar harissa and tomato paste into the bowl with zest. Season well, then whisk in 200ml water. Add the onion, garlic, bay leaves and lemon slices, mixing to combine.
3.

Place the chicken and marinade in a large zip-lock bag. Squeeze out as much air as possible, seal the bag, then squish it to mix everything evenly. Place the bag in a plastic container, seal it tightly and marinate in the fridge for at least 4 hours, preferably overnight.
4.

Preheat oven to 190°C and line a large baking tray with foil, then baking paper.
5.

Tip the chicken onto the tray, nestling the pieces, skin-side up, in the onion mixture. Make sure each piece of chicken has a slice of lemon on it. Roast for 40-45 minutes until chicken is deep brown and cooked through. If onion looks a bit pale, transfer chicken to a warm plate and cover with foil. Return tray to oven, increase heat to 200°C, and cook onion for a further 5-10 minutes to colour.
6.

Serve the chicken and onion on a bed of couscous. Garnish with coriander and mint and serve with lemon wedges and yoghurt.