Sabrina Ghayour’s harissa and lemon roasted chicken thighs recipe

“This is such a simple recipe that I confess I have been making it for years and never thought to put it in one of my books,” says Sabrina Ghayour.

“It’s so handy and versatile, as it can be sliced and stuffed into pitta bread or wraps and sandwiches for lunchboxes, shredded and added to salads, or used in stir-fries or rice noodle dishes. But it also pairs perfectly with steamed rice or naan in the same way tandoori chicken does. You can also marinate the chicken up to 48 hours in advance, or freeze the marinated raw chicken for use at a later date or for batch cooking.”

Harissa and lemon roasted chicken thighs recipe

Ingredients:

(Serves 4-6)

1kg boneless, skinless chicken thighs

2 heaped tbsp rose harissa

150g Greek yogurt

Finely grated zest and juice of 1 unwaxed lemon

Maldon sea salt flakes and freshly ground black pepper

To serve (optional):

Flatbreads

Coriander leaves

Thinly sliced spring onions

Method:

1. Preheat the oven to 240°C (220°C fan), gas mark 9. Line a baking tray with baking paper.

2. Put the chicken thighs into a mixing bowl, add the other ingredients with a generous amount of salt and pepper and turn the chicken to coat well in the mixture, preferably using your hands.

3. Lay the chicken thighs on the lined tray and roast for 40 minutes or until sticky and charred around the edges and cooked through.

Persiana Everyday by Sabrina Ghayour is published by Aster, priced £26. Photography by Kris Kirkham. Available now.