Harissa Chicken with Roasted Courgette & Quinoa

• 4boneless skinless chicken thighs, about 600 g total
• 250 gquinoa, rinsed
• 2 tbspharissa paste
• 600 gcourgettes, cut into 1 cm half-moons
• Fine salt, to taste
• 2 tspsmoked paprika
• 1 tspground cumin
• ½ tspchilli flakes
• 3 tbspgarlic-infused olive oil
• 3spring onions, green tops only, sliced
• ½ tspground coriander
• ½ tspcaraway seeds
• 15 gcoriander leaves, torn
• 30 mllemon juice
• Black pepper, to taste
• 4pitta breads, about 60 g each, optional (optional)
• 200 gmixed salad leaves, optional (optional)
• 1 tbspolive oil, for the optional salad (optional)
• 1 tbsplemon juice, for the optional salad (optional)
• 1lemon, cut into wedges, optional (optional)

Method

1. 1Heat the oven to 200°C/180°C fan. Mix the harissa, smoked paprika, cumin, ground coriander, chilli flakes and caraway with 2 tbsp garlic-infused oil in a bowl.
2. 2Taste a little of the paste before it touches raw chicken and add salt and pepper if needed.
3. 3Pat the chicken thighs dry, then coat them all over with the harissa paste, working it into the folds so every surface is slicked.
4. 4Toss the courgettes with the remaining tablespoon of garlic-infused oil and a little salt and pepper. Spread across a large roasting tray with the chicken alongside. Use a second tray if needed so the courgettes have room to brown.
5. 5Roast for 30–35 minutes, until the chicken reads 75°C for 30 seconds at the thickest point with charred, glossy edges and the courgette is tender with browned tips.
6. 6Meanwhile, bring a pan of well-salted water to the boil and cook the quinoa for 12–15 minutes, until the grains are tender and the little curls have unfurled. Drain, return to the pan off the heat, and let it steam dry under a tea towel for a minute; that's how you get fluffy quinoa instead of a wet clump.
7. 7Toss the cooked quinoa with 30 ml lemon juice, the spring onion tops and most of the torn coriander. Taste before adding salt and pepper.
8. 8Serve the quinoa with one chicken thigh each, the roasted courgettes and remaining torn coriander. Warm any optional pittas according to the packet; dress the optional leaves with their oil and lemon juice. Add optional lemon wedges if using.

Per serving

kcal

549

protein

41.1g

fibre

7.4g

carbs

48.2g

fat

21.5g