Juicy chicken drumsticks and tomatoes, and sweet tender chunks of butternut, roasted with North African spices, makes one hell of a tasty (and very easy to make) dinner. Use pumpkin instead of butternut if you prefer.
Harissa chicken, butternut and tomato bake
3 Tbsp | Harissa paste |
2 Tbsp | Olive oil |
1 | Lemon, juice of |
800 g | Butternut, or pumpkin, cut into 2-3cm chunks (Main) |
8 | Chicken drumsticks (Main) |
2 | Red onions, medium, cut into 2cm wedges |
1 punnet | Cherry tomatoes |
1 sprinkle | Coriander, chopped |
Coriander and mint yoghurt
¾ cup | Plain unsweetened yoghurt |
¼ cup | Mint leaves |
¼ cup | Coriander, chopped |
1 | Lemon, juice of |
1 Tbsp | Harissa paste |
Harissa paste
2 | Red chillies, large, chopped |
3 | Garlic cloves, chopped |
2 tsp | Coriander seeds, crushed |
2 ½ tsp | Cumin seeds, crushed |
4 Tbsp | Olive oil |
1 tsp | Brown sugar |
4 Tbsp | Tomato paste |
1 tsp | Salt |
½ | Lemons, juice of |
Directions
- Heat oven to 200C. Mix harissa paste, olive oil and lemon juice together. In a large roasting tray, toss butternut, chicken and onions together with the harissa mixture. If you have time, leave to marinate for 1 hour or more in the fridge.
- Season with salt and pepper, and roast for 35-45 minutes or until chicken and butternut/pumpkin are cooked through. Halfway through cooking time, add whole cherry tomatoes and gently toss through.
- To make the harissa paste, place garlic, chillies, cumin seeds, coriander seeds, olive oil, tomato paste, brown sugar, lemon juice and salt in a small food processor and blend all ingredients together until well combined. Alternatively grind all ingredients together in a mortar and pestle.
- Mix yoghurt, mint, coriander, harissa paste and lemon juice together.
- To serve, dollop over mint and coriander yoghurt just before serving, and garnish with coriander. Serve with a rocket salad on the side.