Macadamia dukkah chicken with preserved lemon

Name: Macadamia dukkah chicken with preserved lemon
Cook time: 1 h
Yield: 4-6
Cuisine: Middle Eastern
Ingredients: 1 tbsp cumin seeds 1 tbsp coriander seeds 1 tbsp fennel seeds 1 tbsp chopped macadamia nuts 1 tbsp grapeseed oil

Mark LeBrooy and Darren Robertson

February 16, 2023

Delicious and simple to pull together: Dukkah chicken with preserved lemons.Edwina Pickles

Time:30 mins - 1 hourServes:4-6

Middle Eastern flavours spice up a no-fuss chicken dish. This one is a throw-together recipe with no fuss but loads of flavour. You can break down a whole chicken and use all the pieces, but for convenience we use thighs and drumsticks. They're usually less expensive than breast and stay juicier. It's really important to get your pan nice and hot to crisp the skin which adds more flavour. Try preserving your own lemons (the flavour is fantastic) or store-bought is fine.

Ingredients

For dukkah

1 tbsp cumin seeds
1 tbsp coriander seeds
1 tbsp fennel seeds
1 tbsp chopped macadamia nuts
1 tbsp grapeseed oil

For the chicken

1.2kg free-range chicken pieces, skin on (4 thighs and drumsticks)
salt and pepper
4 eschalots, peeled and halved
150g Jerusalem artichokes, peeled and chopped
½ large red chilli, thinly sliced
4 garlic cloves, peeled and halved
700ml chicken stock (check gluten-free if required)
1 tbsp chopped preserved lemon (see recipe link, right)
1 tbsp currants
three sprigs thyme
150g amaranth
2 tbsp olive oil
1 handful mint, parsley and watercress leaves
½ lemon

Method

For the dukkah, mix the cumin, coriander and fennel seeds with the macadamia nuts.
For the chicken
Preheat the oven to 170C.
Heat the grapeseed oil in a large pot on a high heat, season the chicken pieces with salt and brown in the oil.
Remove the chicken, brown the eschalots and Jerusalem artichokes for two minutes, then add the chilli and garlic and gently brown for another couple of minutes.
Reduce the heat and add the chicken stock, preserved lemon, currants, thyme and amaranth.
Put the chicken on top, drizzle over the olive oil and sprinkle with dukkah.
Cook in the oven for 40 minutes – the amaranth will soak up a lot of the stock.
Remove from the oven, throw over the herbs, give it a squeeze of lemon and serve.
Recipe link: The Blue Ducks' preserved lemons