Ras el Hanout Chicken with Muhammara Salsa

October 16, 2023 1 Comment

Recipe and text by Ray Seraphin.

An underrated use for yogurt is as a tasty, healthy, and relatively quick marinade for chicken. The lactic acid from the yogurt tenderizes the meat, keeps it moist and juicy (even when overcooked) and, best of all, penetrates the meat fast so you don't have to plan too far ahead.

Our Ras el Hanout blend imparts a warm, earthy flavor that juxtaposes nicely with the tang of the yogurt and lemon. Top it off with a smoky red pepper and tomato condiment that exists somewhere between muhammara, romesco, and Mexican salsa roja to make this dish even more savory and delicious.

Difficulty: medium
Prep: 2.5 hours (including marinade)
Total time: 3 hours
Yield: 4-6 servings

Ingredients

Chicken thighs:

¾ cup Greek, whole fat yogurt
2 tablespoons Oaktown Spice Shop Ras el Hanout
3 garlic cloves, minced or grated
1 lemon, juiced and zested
2 tablespoons Pacific Flake Sea Salt or Diamond Crystal Kosher Salt
1 tablespoon honey
2 tablespoons neutral oil (such as avocado oil)
2 lbs boneless, skinless chicken thighs (approximately eight thighs)
parsley leaves, rough chopped (optional)

Muhammara salsa:

¼ cup olive oil
1 shallot, rough chopped
4 cloves of garlic, rough chopped
½ cup toasted, slivered almonds
1 lb Roma tomatoes (about four tomatoes), cored and rough chopped
2 tablespoons Aleppo Chile Pepper
1 tablespoon Spanish Smoked Paprika
1 12 oz jar of roasted red bell peppers, drained and chopped
2 teaspoons red wine vinegar
1 tablespoon pomegranate molasses
1 tablespoon Pacific Flake Sea Salt or Diamond Crystal Kosher Salt, more to taste
water as needed

Directions

In a large mixing bowl, whisk together yogurt, Ras el Hanout, garlic, lemon juice and zest, salt, honey, and oil. Pat chicken thighs gently with a paper towel and place in a large ziplock bag.

Pour marinade over the chicken and seal the bag tightly. Shake the bag vigorously, then massage the marinade into the chicken, making sure that the marinade has fully coated every piece of chicken. Store the bag in the refrigerator to marinate for a minimum of two hours and no more than eight hours.

Preheat the oven to 350F. Spray a half sheet tray with cooking oil, then take the chicken thighs out of the ziplock bag, letting the excess marinade drip off the chicken. Place them on the half sheet tray, leaving at least 2" of space between each piece. Cook in the oven for roughly 20 minutes or when the internal temperature of the chicken reaches 150F. Remove tray from oven.

Turn oven to the broil setting. Place chicken back in the oven and cook for an additional 5-6 minutes. The chicken should be slightly charred and have an internal temperature of 170-175F. Allow chicken to rest for an additional 5-10 minutes. If you like, reserve chicken drippings for the muhammara salsa.

Make the muhammara salsa: In a medium sauce pot, heat olive oil over medium heat. Once the olive oil starts to shimmer, add shallots and garlic and cook for 2-3 minutes, stirring frequently to prevent from burning. Add almonds, tomatoes, Aleppo Chile Pepper, Smoked Spanish Paprika, and roasted red bell peppers.

Bring the mixture to a simmer, adding water to deglaze the pot if needed. Cook for an additional 10-15 minutes or until the tomatoes begin to break down and the almonds start to soften. Remove from heat and allow to cool for 10 minutes.

Add red wine vinegar, pomegranate molasses, salt (and chicken drippings if using) to the pot and stir until incorporated. In small batches, puree the mixture in a blender. Start the blender on low and gradually turn to high until the puree becomes smooth and thick. Serve on top of chicken. Makes extra sauce. Reserve for eggs, tacos, or pasta or freeze for up to three months.

Garnish chicken with muhammara salsa and parsley. Serve with saffron rice.

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