Spiced Chicken Breasts with Chickpea and Yoghurt Salad

, from Issue #35. August, 2015
Photography by Carolyn Robertson.
Spiced Chicken Breasts with Chickpea and Yoghurt Salad

Serves: 4

INGREDIENTS

Salad
½ cup Greek yoghurt
2 tablespoons lemon juice
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1 teaspoon ground cumin
½ teaspoon ground coriander
large handful coriander, chopped
handful flat-leaf parsley, chopped
2 x 400 gram tins cooked chickpeas, drained and rinsed
sea salt and freshly ground pepper
handful rocket leaves, to serve

Chicken
4 x 200 gram chicken breasts, skin on
2 tablespoons olive oil
½ teaspoon ground cumin
½ teaspoon ground coriander
½ teaspoon paprika
sea salt and freshly ground pepper

METHOD

Put the yoghurt, lemon juice, olive oil and ground spices in a small bowl and stir well to combine. Add chickpeas. Season then gently stir through the fresh herbs, leaving a few aside for garnishing. Cover and refrigerate while you cook the chicken.

Preheat the oven to 220°C.

Combine the olive oil, cumin, coriander and paprika and brush all over the chicken. Season. 

Heat a heavy-based ovenproof sauté pan over a high heat. Place the chicken skin side down in the hot pan and sear for 2-3 minutes or until golden and crispy. Turn and sear for a further minute on the other side before transferring the whole pan to the hot oven. Cook for a further 10-12 minutes then leave to rest for a few minutes before serving with the chickpea salad and rocket.