The chickpeas are like little golden beads surrounding the chicken

There is nothing sweeter or more life-affirming than the smell of spiced, roasting chicken.

Chicken and chickpea traybake from Pranzo by Guy Mirabella (Hardie Grant Books). Photo: Guy Mirabella

Guy Mirabella

less than 2 min read

10:41AMFebruary 25, 2025

The Weekend Australian Magazine

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There is nothing sweeter or more life-affirming than the smell of spiced, roasting chicken. The chickpeas in this dish are like hundreds of golden beads edging in and around the chicken.

Try too my tomato tart and lamb and pea salad.

Chicken with chickpeas are an easy and tasty midweek dinner. Photos: Guy Mirabella

This is an edited extract from Pranzo by Guy Mirabella (Hardie Grant, $60).

Chicken and chickpea traybake

Ingredients

• 80ml (1/3 cup) extra-virgin olive oil, plus extra to drizzle
• 12 chicken thigh fillets, skin on, patted dry with paper towels
• 3 tablespoons dry white wine
• 2 × 425g tins chickpeas, drained and rinsed
• 8 garlic cloves, whole, peeled
• 2 teaspoons ground turmeric
• 2 teaspoons smoked paprika
• ¼ teaspoon chilli flakes
• 1 red capsicum (core, membrane and seeds removed), cut into strips
• Small handful of flat-leaf parsley, chopped
• Grated zest and juice of 1 lemon
• 30g salted butter, chopped into 12 pieces
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Herby yoghurt

• 500g (2 cups) Greek-style yoghurt
• 1 garlic clove, crushed
• Handful of each of mint, basil, parsley, thyme leaves and chives, torn
• Grated zest of 1 lemon
• Salt

Method

1. Preheat the oven to 200C. Use 2 tablespoons of the oil to grease a 28cm x 38cm roasting tin. Heat the remaining oil in a large frying pan over a medium-high heat.
2. Season the chicken with salt and pepper and cook in batches for 8-10 minutes on each side, just until it starts to get some colour. Set the chicken aside in a bowl.
3. Pour the wine into the hot pan and boil for about 1 minute, stirring to scrape off any bits. Take off the heat and pour the wine over the chicken.
4. Combine the chickpeas, garlic, turmeric, paprika, chilli flakes, capsicum, parsley and lemon zest and juice in a large bowl and mix well. Put the chickpea mixture into the roasting tin and spread over the bottom. Push the chicken into the chickpea mixture, pouring any juices over the top. Place a chunk of butter on top of each piece of chicken and season with salt and pepper.
5. Roast for about 45 minutes. Remove the roasting tin from the oven and tilt it to one corner to collect some of the juices, then spoon the juices over the chicken. Cover with foil and rest for 20 minutes.
6. For the herby yoghurt, mix the yoghurt with the garlic and spread it over a flat dish. Sprinkle with the herbs, lemon zest and salt, and drizzle a little extra oil on top.
7. Present the chicken on a large dish for everyone to help themselves. Serve with herby yoghurt.

Serves 6-8