Nduja Marmalade Chicken with Roasted Tomatoes, Lemon Parsley Yoghurt, Feta and Spicy Chickpeas
Calling all nduja lovers - this recipe is for you. Nduja salami paste is one of my favourite ingredients. Stirred through pastas and risottos, dolloped on pizzas, or used in meat marinades like I did here, it is just so so good. With some charred sweet cherry tomatoes, cooling lemon yoghurt and crispy roasted chickpeas for added crunch, this is one of my favourite recipes. Serve with flatbreads to mop up all the lovely juices.
Serves 4
1. First make the chicken marinade. Add 1 heaped tbsp each of nduja salami paste and marmalade to a couple of crushed garlic cloves, 1 tbsp olive oil, 2 tbsp soy sauce, the juice of a lemon and some seasoning. Mix well and add eight skinless and boneless chicken thighs. Refrigerate in a pyrex/ceramic dish for at least four hours or ideally overnight.
2. Remove the chicken from the fridge 30 mins before cooking to allow it to come to room temperature. Shake off any excess marinade and fry the thighs on each side until golden and caramelised before placing back in the dish you used to marinade the chicken with the excess marinade. Cover with foil and bake at 180C fan/200C.
3. Next put 350g cherry tomatoes and their vines in a parchment lined tray with 1 tbsp dried oregano, a few thyme sprigs, three finely sliced garlic cloves, the zest of a lemon, 1 tsp each of cumin and coriander seeds, a sprinkling of light brown sugar and some seasoning. Roast for 20 minutes next to the chicken.
4. Meanwhile drain a tin of chickpeas and pat dry with a clean tea towel. Mix with 1 tbsp olive oil, 2 tsp each of cumin, ground coriander, smoked paprika and a sprinkle of cayenne pepper. Season and roast on a parchment lined tray at 180C fan/200C for 10-15 mins until crispy. These can be made ahead and set aside to save oven space.
5. Mix 250g greek yoghurt with 3 tbsps of finely chopped parsley, the zest and juice of a lemon and some seasoning.
6. After the chicken and tomatoes have had 20 mins remove the foil from the chicken, drizzle with some runny honey and turn the grill up to high. Grill for 2-3 mins keeping an eye on them depending on the strength of your grill) to allow the chicken and tomatoes to become slightly charred.
7. To serve, spread the yoghurt on each plate before topping with the tomatoes, chicken, chickpeas, crumbled feta and chopped parsley.