How are you doing #LoyalRoyals?
The longer summer days and warmer nights have inspired us to break out of our cooking comfort zone and try all sorts of new recipes. Sticky North African Chicken is top of the charts at the Palace right now! The spiciness of our wonder ingredient, Harissa Paste
Clink glasses and say out loud – Bessaha! That means ‘your good health’ in Maghrebi Arabic, by the way.
HRH Kathleen
You will need
1 Tbsp olive oil, if you choose skinless chicken
4 bone-in chicken thighs, skin on or off depending on your preference
Salt and black pepper
¼ cup honey
2 Tbsp Pesto Princess Harissa Paste
1 tsp red wine vinegar
1 garlic clove, grated or finely chopped
For the carrot salad
750 g carrots
1 onion, finely chopped
3 Tbsp Pesto Princess Chermoula Paste
3 garlic cloves, crushed
1 Tbsp white wine vinegar
1 Tbsp chopped preserved lemon or the zest from one fresh lemon + lemon juice to taste
1/3 cup olive oil, plus extra to finish
Salt
2 cups coriander leaves, coarsely chopped, plus extra to garnish
1/2 cup double thick Greek yoghurt, chilled
How to
1. Preheat the oven to 180ºC. Lightly coat the chicken pieces with oil, season generously with salt and pepper. Place in an oven-proof dish with the lid on and bake for 20-25 minutes (depending on how big your pieces are, you don’t want them cooked through yet).
2. In the meantime, combine the honey, Pesto Princess Harissa Paste, vinegar and garlic in a small pan and cook over medium heat until thick and sticky (it should take about 10 minutes).
3. Remove the chicken from the oven and increase temperature to 220ºC. Pour the sticky sauce over the chicken pieces and coat evenly before placing them back in the oven until they are slightly crispy.
4. To make the carrot salad, peel and chop the carrots into rough chunks about 2 cm in length. Place the carrots in a large pot, cover with salted water and bring to the boil. Turn down the heat and simmer until tender but crunchy. Drain in a colander and leave them to dry out (this will allow the dressing to ‘stick’).
5. Sauté the onion over medium heat until soft, then add the Pesto Princess Chermoula Paste and stir to combine. Add the carrots, garlic, vinegar, preserved lemon or lemon juice and olive oil. Remove from the heat and season well. Stir to combine and leave to cool.
6. Stir in the chopped coriander just before serving, taste and adjust the seasoning if necessary. Serve in individual bowls with a dollop of yoghurt, a drizzle of oil and a garnish of extra coriander.
Recipe and food styling by Michelle Parkin.
Michael Olivier’s Choice
Spier Secret
Looks like Pour from a simple tear shaped bottle with an elegant blue label, closed with a crown cork. In the glass, a lovely cherry blossom pink.
Smells like Whiffs of wild strawberry and raspberry and Muscat.
It tastes like Full, rich, semi-sweet, fynbos, honey palate ending crisp and refreshing. Good match for a dish like this with its spicy flavours.
I made this tonight using a whole chicken and cooking it in my tagine. I put the spice paste on from the beginning of the cook and thickend up all the pan jucies afterwards. It was absoultely yummy, not too sweet and not too spicy
Hello Sue,
We are delighted to hear this! And you have totally inspired us with the tagine!
Many thanks for sending us your feedback – it really means the world.
With love from all of us at the Palace
I want to know where can l get your spices and sauces l,m in South Africa
Hello Lindiwe,
Thank you for your support! You can find a full list of our stockists here: https://pesto.co.za/stockists/
Please let us know if you need any further info.
Happy cooking!
With love from all of us at the Palace