Persian-Style Chicken with Mint and Pomegranate
Ingredients:
10g flaked almonds
300g free-range chicken thighs
½ tsp ground cinnamon
1 tsp ground cumin
1 lemon (use half)
1 handful of fresh mint
1 red onion
1 pomegranate (use half)
80g brown rice
1 tsp sumac
180g tenderstem broccoli
Method:
Preheat the oven to 200C / fan 180C / gas mark 6. Boil a kettle. Rinse the rice, then place in a saucepan with 600ml boiling water. Simmer for 20-25 mins, until cooked.
Meanwhile, dice the onion into large pieces. Trim the broccoli and slice in half lengthways.
In a bowl, thoroughly mix the chicken with the cumin, cinnamon, sumac, 2 tsp oil and black pepper.
Scatter the onion pieces in an ovenproof dish, then top with the chicken thighs, laid flat. Bake for 20-25 mins or until the chicken is cooked, turning halfway through. Check your chicken is cooked through by inserting a skewer into the thickest part of the meat; the juices should run clear. Cook for longer if necessary.
Place the broccoli on a separate baking tray; sprinkle over the almonds and drizzle with 1 tsp oil. Roast for 10 mins, until slightly charred at the edges.
Meanwhile, slice the pomegranate in half and remove the seeds. Roughly chop the mint leaves. Drain the rice and stir through a squeeze of lemon juice, the pomegranate seeds and the mint.
Serve the pomegranate rice topped with the chicken, and the roasted onion and broccoli on the side. Drizzle over the remaining lemon juice.