Harissa-spiced thighs
with couscous, salad and herb yoghurt

harissa-spiced chicken thighs
Prep time
20min
Cook time
40min
Serves
4

Served with couscous, aubergine, pomegranate, parsley salad and herb yoghurt, these chicken thighs are a must-try.

Ingredients:

  • 8 chicken thighs
 

Marinade

  • 4 tbsp harissa paste
  • Salt and pepper
  • 2 tbsp olive oil
  • 2 lemons
 

Salad

  • 250g couscous
  • 2 large aubergines
  • Olive oil
  • 1 tsp cumin
  • 1 tsp coriander
  • 1/2 tsp cinnamon
  • 1/2 tsp ginger
  • 1/4 tsp nutmeg
  • 10g parsley, chopped
  • 1 tub pomegranate kernels
  • 15ml olive oil
  • Salt and pepper
 

Herb yoghurt

  • 1 cup of plain yoghurt
  • 10g parsley or dill, chopped
  • 1 tsp red-wine vinegar
 

Method:

  • Preheat the oven to 200°C.
  • Place the harissa paste in a bowl and mix with 2 tablespoons of olive oil, salt and pepper. Add the chicken to the sauce and marinade in the fridge for 60 minutes.
  • Take the chicken out of the fridge and allow it to reach room temperature. Put the chicken onto a baking tray and cook in the oven for 30 to 40 minutes, until cooked through.
  • Cut the lemons in half and char in a grill pan for serving.
  • Cook the couscous according to the packaging instructions. Loosen it with a fork and add a splash of olive oil, salt and pepper.
  • To make the salad, cut aubergine into cubes. De-gorge the cubes by putting them into a colander over a bowl, then salt generously to draw the moisture out of the aubergine – leave for about 15 minutes.
  • Make a spice mix by combining the cumin, coriander, cinnamon, ginger and nutmeg. Drizzle the olive oil over the the aubergines and add the spice mix. Roast in the oven for about 20 minutes. Once cooked, set aside to cool.
  • Mix the couscous, aubergine, parsley and pomegranate kernels, olive oil, salt and pepper in a bowl.
  • Make a herb yoghurt by mixing the plain yoghurt, parsley (or dill) and red-wine vinegar. Leave it to infuse in the fridge for about an hour before serving.
  • Serve the chicken with couscous, salad and herb yoghurt.