Clodagh McKenna's Aromatic Chicken

Thu, 14 January 2016

Roast chicken marinated in warm spices served with a pomegranate jewelled aromatic chickpea and couscous, drizzled with harrisa and mint yogurt.

Ingredients

Chicken:

4 chicken breasts

1 tsp ground cumin

1 tsp ground cinnamon

½ tsp ground coriander

½ tsp ground paprika

1 lemon, juiced

2 tbsps olive oil

Couscous and Chickpea:

400g of couscous

½ tsp cumin

½ tsp cinnamon

½ tsp coriander

600ml hot chicken stock

100g golden sultanas

1 red onion, finely chopped

½ pomegranate

400g tin of chickpeas, drained and rinsed

Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

Method

Pre-heat the oven to 180oC.

Start by making the chicken marinade, place all the spices in a bowl, along with lemon juice and 2 tbsps of olive oil and whisk together.

Place the filets of chicken in between 2 sheets of cling film and flatten with a rolling pin. 

Then coat the chicken with the spicy marinade and leave to marinade for 30 minutes in a fridge or overnight.

Place a griddle pan over a medium heat and once hot, place the marinated chicken breasts on the pan and cook for 2-3 minutes on each side.

Then transfer to the pre-heated oven for 10 minutes.

While the chicken is cooking make the couscous.

Pour the couscous grains into a bowl and stir in the spices, then pour in the hot chicken stock to the couscous and cover with cling-film and leave to cook in the steam for 8-10 minutes.

Then remove the cling-film and separate the grains by using a fork, a spoon will make the mixture clumpy.

Stir in the red onion, pomegranate seeds, chickpeas and golden sultanas.

Season with sea salt and freshly ground black pepper.

Spoon the couscous onto the serving plates and places the cooked chicken on top.

Serve with a drizzle of yogurt and harissa on top and a sprinkle of fresh mint leaves.