This delicious healthy, high protein dinner is a recipe inspired by Nigella Lawson and is a great balanced meal with the added vegetables and fabulous flavours.
Serves 4-6
Ingredients
- 8 chicken thighs – skin on and bone in
- 3 tbsp olive oil
- 1 medium onion – chopped
- 2 cloves garlic – crushed
- 3 tsp ground cumin
- 1 tsp turmeric
- 1 tsp freshly grated ginger (or powder if you don’t have fresh)
- 2 courgettes – thickly chopped
- 3 carrots – thinly chopped
- 1 aubergine – chopped
- 3 pitted dates – diced
- 10 destoned prunes – diced
- 1 orange – zested and juice
- 600ml of hot chicken stock
- Salt and pepper
- Handful of chopped pistachios
- Handful of chopped parsley (optional)
- 2tsp harissa paste (optional)
Method
Preheat the oven to 180oC/ 400oF or gas mark 6. Add the oil to a deep casserole dish and then the onion when warm. Gently fry the onion until softened and translucent. Add the garlic and cumin, turmeric, ginger, harissa if you are using it and orange zest, turn the heat down a notch to gently cook these through for about 5mins so they don’t catch and turn bitter. If you have a lid you can put this on as I find it helps to retain the moisture and cook more gently. Once you have a fragrant mixture add the carrots and aubergine, stir them to coat with the spice mixture cook for 5 mins.
Then add the prunes, courgettes, dates and stir well. Then add the orange juice and chicken stock and season with salt and pepper. Bring to a low simmer so that everything is warmed through and then place the chicken thighs skin up in the liquid. It may not look like enough liquid but it should be fine – you can check halfway through the cooking time and add more if you prefer. Place in the oven, uncovered, for 40mins.
Sprinkle with pistachios and serve on its own or with some brown rice or cous cous if you prefer and enjoy!
