A family favourite, full of flavour but ever so simple to make, using oven chips as a shortcut, with harissa yoghurt to dunk into. More yummy than you’d ever imagine, given the simplicity of the ingredients. Literally winner winner chicken dinner. Feeds 4.
- 4 chicken breasts
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- Zest and juice of 1 lemon
- Generous sprig of fresh oregano
- 3 tbsp olive oil
- 100g greek yoghurt
- 1 heaped tbsp harissa paste
- 1 kg chunky oven chips
- 1 tsp paprika
- ½ tsp garlic powder
- 1 tsp dried oregano
- Salt and pepper
- About an hour before you cook, mix the garlic, lemon juice, olive oil, fresh oregano (twisted and pinched a bit to release the flavour), salt and pepper. Pour this mixture over the chicken breasts in a dish. Cover and refrigerate, turning once, until you need them
- Mix the yoghurt, lemon zest, harissa paste and a pinch of salt to a pleasing pale pink
- Pre-heat the oven to 200C fan (220C)
- Put the chips on an baking tray and stick in the oven. They’ll need about 30 mins (for some reason they always take at least 5 mins longer than the package says) so the timing should all come out about right
- While the chips are cooking, heat a large, oven-proof frying pan over a medium heat
- Remove the chicken from the marinade, shake off and place in the pan
- Cook without moving them for 10 mins until deep brown on the underside, then flip them over and put the pan into the oven for 15 mins. (If your pan isn’t ovenproof, just transfer to an oven dish)
- Remove the chicken from the oven and allow to rest while you put the chips in a big bowl and sprinkle with the paprika, garlic powder, dried oregano, salt and pepper. Gently toss the spices through lightly and you’re ready to go
Serve with something green (broccoli is usually our green of choice) and spoon the chicken juices over the top. Dunk everything in harissa yoghurt and feel happily full of delicous food.
Sophie cooks 