Cooking time: 30 minutes
Serving size: Serves 4-6
Oven temperature: 180°C (fan)
INGREDIENTS
1 cup greek yoghurt
3 Tbsp chopped parsley (about a handful)
Juice of ½ a lemon (approx. 2 Tbsp)
2 tsp fresh thyme (or 1 tsp dried thyme)
¼ tsp salt
6-8 boneless, skinless chicken thighs (or breasts)
1 Tbsp sumac
METHOD
1.) Firstly mix the yogurt together with the lemon juice and salt in a bowl. Add the thyme and parsley and combine well to make a thick, herby marinade for the chicken.
2.) Make sure the chicken is well coated in the marinade so that the acidity in the yoghurt and lemon juice begin to tenderise the chicken. Cover the bowl with cling film. Allow the chicken to remain in the marinade for at least 2 hours, or overnight.
3.) Heat the oven to 180°C (fan). Place the chicken in an oven dish and sprinkle with a generous amount of sumac (think a dusting of snow, not an avalanche). Cook the chicken in the oven for 25-30 minutes or until the juices from the chicken run clear when cut into i.e. the chicken is cooked when the meat appears white all the way through.
4.) Serve with potatoes, rice, roasted veggies or a salad. This recipe is also fantastic cooked on the BBQ.
STORY
This recipe was actually inspired by my favourite restaurant's (The Palomar) sister restaurant, The Barbary. It was a succulent, tender chicken breast saturated in a flavour combination that was completely foreign to me. When I asked the hostess what was in the chicken she replied with "herbs and spices", when I asked if she could possibly be a little more specific she elaborated with "aromas". Clearly these recipes are kept under lock and key and the ingredients are top secret so I had to rely on my tastebuds for a little bit of detective work. I simply used the original dish for inspiration and have been perfecting it over the years. There's not a huge amount of recipes that I use buttermilk for (which is what I assume was used in the original dish) and therefore I usually make my own by using my trusty staples of yoghurt and lemon juice.
I imagine a lot of you will be wondering what Sumac is. Sumac actually comes from a berry, it's dried and crushed and looks like a purply/maroon powder. It has a lemon-y pepper taste and is often used in Middle Eastern cuisines. It's great on fish, chicken, eggs and salads and ads a little sprinkle of colour to dishes.
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