2017 has been a huge year of travel for me, which means a huge year of eating. Not that I am complaining as I adore travelling and as you know, I adore food. It also gives me inspiration to eat a little on the lighter side when I get home as it is not just my travel bags that need unpacking. I had been thinking of this dish for a while and it evolved into a simple meal that is perfect for busy week nights. The marinade takes minutes so it would be a good one to do on a Sunday as you can marinate over night. Then all you have to do is come home after work on Monday and just whip up a few salad items and grill the chicken on the BBQ. You could also return from work, marinate for an hour and help the kids with their homework etc. Did I mention that it was a taste sensation too?
Prep time: 25 Minutes Cooking time: 25 Minutes $$ Medium Budget
Serves 4
6-8 thigh fillets
1/4 cup of olive oil
1 tbs of ground turmeric
1/2 tsp of chilli powder (optional)
1 tbs of grated ginger
Juice of 1/2 a lemon
1 tbs of honey
Sea salt and pepper
1 large carrot, peeled and finely julienned or grated*
1 small bag of rocket
1 cup of greek yoghurt
8 Roti wraps
For the Cucumber Salsa:
1-2 cucumbers, halved, deseeded and finely chopped
1/2 a red onion, finely diced
1/2 cup of mint leaves, finely chopped
1/2 cup of coriander leaves, finely chopped
Juice of 1/2 a lemon
Sea salt and pepper
Place the thigh fillets between 2 large sheets of cling wrap and bash lightly with a rolling pin to even out the thickness. Cut each fillet into 2-3 pieces (depending on their size) so that they will fit nicely, single file in a wrap. Place them in a shallow dish to marinate.
In a bowl combine the oil, turmeric, ginger, chilli, lemon and honey and season with salt and pepper. Use a whisk to combine and if the honey is a little stiff, just give it 10-20 seconds in the microwave to dissolve. Pour the marinade over the chicken thighs and use tongs or a spoon to coat evenly. Marinate for at least 1 hour.
To make the salsa, place all of the ingredients in a small bowl and mix well to combine.
Preheat the oven to 180°C. Heat a BBQ grill or a frypan to nice and hot. Sear the chicken on both sides and then turn the heat down a little and allow to cook for 4-5 minutes on each side. Transfer to a lined baking tray and place in the oven to keep warm for 10 minutes. I often do this with chicken, just to ensure that it is cooked all the way through.
Prepare the roti bread as per packet instructions. I like to do the lightly oiled pan method as it makes the roti nice and chewy.
This is the perfect dish to set up on an island bench or in the middle of the table so everyone can make their own. To assemble, spread a dollop of yoghurt down the middle of a roti. Top with rocket, shredded carrot, chicken and salsa and tuck in!
*I have a sensational tool for shredding carrot that looks just like a potato peeler but has little serrated edges on it. You can buy them for under $10 in most kitchen ware shops.
Leftover mint or coriander? Perhaps you should consider this for tomorrow nights dinner…..