I need to declare a bias and that is that I would never cook chicken without the skin. Remember mine is a recipe for life, not a diet, but I absolutely understand if you prefer to remove it. If so, please cook the chicken at the lowest possible temperature so it doesn’t dry out. Alternatively, you could cook the chicken with the skin on and then throw it away, but in a dish like this the seasonings on the skin protecting the chicken would be lost.
Ingredients
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 3 tablespoons thick natural probiotic yoghurt, plus extra to serve (optional)
- 1 tablespoon thyme leaves
- Finely grated zest and juice of ½ lemon
- 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
- Sea salt flakes and freshly ground black pepper
- 4 x 160–200 g chicken thighs, skin on
- ½ cup (60 g) toasted ground almonds or dukkah
- Vino cotto, for drizzling
Turkish-Style Tabbouleh
- 150 ml chicken stock
- ½ cup (100 g) wholemeal couscous
- Sea salt flakes and freshly ground black pepper
- 1 cup flat-leaf parsley leaves, rinsed and patted dry
- ½ cup mint leaves, rinsed and patted dry
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- 3 vine-ripened tomatoes, cut into 1 cm dice
- 2 spring onions, green ends only, finely chopped
- 1 large avocado, cut into 1 cm dice
- 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
How to Make It
- Place the garlic, yoghurt, thyme, lemon zest, lemon juice and olive oil in a large bowl. Season the chicken, then add to the marinade and toss to coat well. Cover and refrigerate for 30 minutes.
- Preheat the oven to 230°C (fan-forced).
- Meanwhile, to make the tabbouleh, place the stock in a saucepan and bring to the boil. Place the couscous in a heatproof bowl. Pour over the hot stock, then cover with a plate or a piece of plastic film and stand for 5 minutes. Use a fork to fluff up and separate the grains. Season to taste and stand until cool.
- Gather the parsley leaves in a tight wad in your hand and finely shred the leaves with a very sharp knife, almost in a shaving action.
- Repeat with the mint leaves. Add to the cooled couscous with the remaining ingredients and gently mix through. Season and set aside.
- Remove the chicken from the marinade, shaking off any excess. Place the chicken, skin-side up, on a baking tray lined with baking paper and sprinkle the ground almonds or dukkah evenly over the top. Bake for 12–18 minutes or until the chicken is golden and cooked through. Remove from the oven and leave to rest for 10 minutes.
- Serve the chicken drizzled with a good glug of vino cotto, and the tabbouleh topped with a dollop of yoghurt, if using.