Hawayej, a spice blend from Yemen, adds depth and complexity to simply roasted chicken thighs. A refreshing salad of cucumber, red onion, coriander and mint makes a fine accompaniment, and flatbread will help mop up all the juices. Or serve it with a bowl of Turkish cracked wheat salad.
Hawayej-spiced chicken thigh cutlets
Game up your midweek standby of tray-baked chicken with a heady spice mix from Yemen, featuring caraway seeds, cumin, cardamom and more.
- 5 mins preparation
- 25 mins cooking
- Serves 4
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Ingredients
- 8 chicken thigh cutlets, bone in, skin on
- 4 garlic cloves, crushed
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- Pickled long green chillies and Greek-style yoghurt, to serve
Hawayej spice mix
- 1 tsp caraway seeds
- 1 tsp black peppercorns
- 1 tsp ground cumin
- 1 tsp ground turmeric
- 1 tsp ground coriander seeds
- ½ tsp ground cardamom
- ¼ tsp ground cloves
Method
- 1Preheat oven to 220°C. For hawayej, dry-roast caraway seeds and black peppercorns in a frying pan over medium-high heat until fragrant (30 seconds to 1 minute). Coarsely crush with a mortar and pestle and stir in remaining spices.
- 2Combine chicken, garlic and olive oil in a large bowl. Add spice mixture and toss to combine. Spread chicken on an oven tray lined with baking paper and roast until golden and juices run clear when pierced with a skewer (18-22 minutes). Serve with pickled chillies and yoghurt.