When our chef André visited Marrakech, he adored the bustling night markets and the way they come alive when the sun sets. They’re just packed with the freshest most seductively well-spiced food for miles around. That perfect memory of deep, rich, chargrilled chicken is the inspiration for his chermoula and yoghurt spiced chicken, with zesty courgette pilaf.
The quantities provided above are averages only.
Boxes and ingredients are packed in facilities that handles Peanut, Nuts, Sesame, Fish, Crustaceans, Milk, Egg, Mustard, Celery, Soya, Gluten and Sulphites. Due to the war in Ukraine, it has been necessary to substitute sunflower oil with rapeseed oil in some products without a label change. The FSA have advised that allergic reactions to rapeseed oil are rare.
4
British Chicken Thighs
1
Chermoula Spice Mix
1
Greek Style Natural Yoghurt
(Contains Milk)
½
Onion
1
Courgette
(May contain Celery)
1
Garlic Clove
½
Coriander
175
Basmati Rice
1
Chicken Stock Pot
½
Lemon
350
Water
Your first job is to marinate the chicken. The longer the better is the rule with marinating! In a bowl, mix the chicken with the chermoula spice mix, half the yoghurt, a pinch of salt and a good grind of black pepper. Make sure your chicken is well coated, then put it back in your fridge.
Cut the onion in half through the root, peel and chop into small chunks (½cm is ideal!). Cut the top and bottom off the courgette and cut in half lengthways. Cut each half into three long strips, then chop at 1cm intervals to create small chunks. Peel and grate the garlic (or use a garlic press if you have one!). Pull the leaves off the coriander and chop the stalks as small as you can. Keep the leaves for later.
Heat a saucepan over medium heat and add a splash of oil. Cook your onion for 5 mins or until soft. Add your courgette, garlic and coriander stalks. Season with a pinch of salt and a good grind of black pepper. Stir in the basmati rice making sure your rice is well coated with all the ingredients in the pan.
Pour in the water (amount specified in the ingredient list) with the chicken stock pot and bring to the boil. Once boiling, reduce the heat until simmering, put a lid on the pan and cook for 10 mins. Finish cooking your rice by removing the pan from the heat (lid still on!) and leave to continue cooking in its own steam, for a further 10 mins.
Whilst your rice cooks, preheat your grill to its highest setting. Put your chicken on a baking tray and pop under your grill for 15 mins. Tip: You want the yoghurt marinade to scorch, so don’t be tempted to turn the grill down. It’s all about flavour! Turn your chicken after 7 mins and cook for another 7 mins. Tip: The chicken is cooked when it is no longer pink in the middle.
Chop your coriander leaves and zest and juice the lemon. Mix your lemon zest through your remaining yoghurt and keep to one side.
Once your rice is ready, stir through your coriander leaves and a good splash of lemon juice. Taste and add more salt if required and more lemon juice if you feel it needs a bit more zing! This is your pilaf.
Cut your chicken into ½cm strips and serve on top of a bed of your pilaf. Finish with dollops of your lemony yoghurt and enjoy!