This scrumptious recipe uses Baharat, a popular Middle Eastern spice blend, to create a spicy and flavour-packed weeknight meal. You could easily double the recipe. Sargent Farms boneless chicken thigh meat is marinated overnight and then roasted until golden brown and tender. The deliciously simple yet satisfying orzo salad is flavored with sumac and can be made ahead of time. Any leftovers are great for lunch the next day.
Yield: 4 servings
Prep Time: 20 minutes plus time to marinate
Cook Time: 40 minutes
Chef’s Tips:
To create your own Baharat blend, combine a teaspoon of each ground cumin, pepper, coriander, smoked or sweet paprika, and cinnamon with a generous pinch of each nutmeg, cloves, allspice, and cardamom. Adding chopped preserved lemons to the marinade will give the chicken a deep lemon flavour, and a handful of pomegranate seeds will make the orzo salad even more colorful.
Ingredients
For the Chicken:
- 2 to 3 tbsp olive oil
- 1 lemon, juiced
- 2 to 3 garlic cloves, crushed
- 1½ tbsp Baharat spice blend
- 1 medium red onion, thinly sliced
- 1 tsp harissa or to taste (optional)
- salt and ground black pepper
- 1½ lb (680 g) Sargent Farms Boneless Chicken Thigh Meat
- 1/2 cup chicken broth or as needed
For the Salad:
- 1 cup orzo
- 1 (15.5oz/439g) can of chickpeas, drained and rinsed
- 1/2 each red and green pepper, seeded
- 1 medium red onion, diced
- 1/3 cup Kalamata or black olives, pitted and sliced
- 1/4 cup fresh flat-leaf parsley, chopped
- 3 tbsp olive oil
- 1 lemon, juice only
- 1 tsp sumac (optional)
- 1/3 cup feta cheese, cubed
- handful pistachios, roughly chopped
- salt and pepper
Directions:
For the Chicken:
- Combine olive oil, lemon juice, garlic, Baharat spice blend, onions, and harissa (if using), in a small bowl, and season to taste.
- Place Sargent Farms Boneless Chicken Thigh Meat into a large container (or use a large resealable bag). Add the marinade and toss and massage it to coat the chicken. Cover the container and refrigerate overnight or for at least 2 hours.
- Preheat the oven to 400°F (200°C).
- Transfer the chicken and the marinade to a roasting pan and roast until golden brown, and the chicken reaches an internal temperature of 165°F (74°C), about 40 to 50 minutes. Alternatively, cook the chicken in a large skillet over medium-high heat for about 12 minutes or in an air fryer.
- Serve the chicken with the orzo salad on the side, or shred and mix it into the salad.
For the Salad:
- Cook orzo in boiled salted water following the packet instructions (usually takes about 5 minutes).
- Meanwhile, combine chickpeas, peppers, onion, olives, and parsley in a serving bowl.
- Drain the cooked orzo and toss with the rest of the salad ingredients; season to taste. Whisk olive oil, lemon juice, and sumac together and stir into the salad. Scatter feta cheese and pistachios on top before serving.
