It’s a simple dish, but packed with flavour and incredibly straightforward to cook. There’s something in this casserole for everyone — the Mediterranean influences like apricots, olives, Ras-el-Hanout and Greek yoghurt come together to create a dish that’s hearty, comforting, and full of oomph.
Ingredients #
- Chicken – 1 medium or 8 leg pieces
- Lemon – 1
- Olive oil
- Ginger paste – 1 tsp
- Onion – 2 medium
- Greek yoghurt – 1 cup
- Olives (pitted) – 5–7
- Garlic cloves – 5
- Small potatoes – 4
- Cherry tomatoes – 5
- Dried apricots – 5
- Almonds – 7–8
- Cinnamon stick – 1
- Ras-el-Hanout – 3 tsp
- Paprika – 1 tsp
- Salt – to taste
Recipe #
- Marinate the chicken in lemon juice for 5–7 hours.
- Soften the apricots by microwaving them in half a cup of water.
- Lightly fry the chicken in 2 tbsp olive oil with the cinnamon stick and ginger paste.
- Rub some olive oil on the sides of your ovenproof dish.
- Transfer the chicken to the oven dish.
- Fry the onions and add to the dish.
- Add the remaining ingredients: Greek yoghurt, garlic cloves, potatoes, cherry tomatoes, apricots (with water), almonds, ras-el-hanout, paprika, and salt.
- Cover with foil and bake in a preheated oven at 180°C for 1 hour.
- Check if the chicken is cooked through. If not, return to the oven for another 15 minutes.
- Finally, remove the foil and grill for 5–7 minutes to crisp up the top.
Serve warm with couscous, crusty bread, or simply as is — it’s rich, warming and full of character.