| Serves 4-6 as a main. 6 chicken thighs 1 teaspoon fennel seeds 1 teaspoon mustard seeds peel & juice of 1 meyer lemon | |
| 2 cloves of garlic, minced 1 tablespoon walnut oil salt & pepper to taste olive oil, for roasting |
1. Prep the chicken thighs. Take out the chicken thighs from the fridge and dry the surface with a piece of paper tower. Cut the thigh meat into bite sized pieces and set aside.
2.Make the marinade. In a small frying pan and over low-medium heat, toast the fennel seeds and mustard seeds until fragrant, around 3 minutes. There is no need to use oil. Remove from the pan and let cool slightly. Pour the cooled spices, salt and pepper in a spice grinder and whiz until it becomes a course powder. If you don't have a spice grinder, place the seasonings in a ziplock bag and crush with a rolling pin. Pour the spice mix into a gallon ziplock bag, grate over lemon peel, and add in the minced garlic, lemon juice and walnut oil.
Marinade the chicken thigh. Mix the contents of the ziplock bag together and add in your chicken thigh pieces. Allow to marinade for 20-30 minutes.
Roast the chicken. Heat a cast iron frying pan over high heat and let it rise to temperature for around 8-10 minutes. Pour a tablespoon of olive oil in the cast iron pan and swirl around. Add the chicken pieces and roast until golden and charred, 5-6 minutes. You may have to do this in batches, just don't overcrowd the pan or the chicken will start steaming and won't be crisp on the outside. Using kitchen tongs, flip the chicken pieces and cook for another 4-5 minutes, or until juices run clear.
Serve immediately with a salad and some sweet potatoes for a healthy and delicious dinner, and pack the rest for the next day's lunch! Marinated chicken can be frozen for future use, simply thaw in the refrigerator and roast as directed.
