This is an unusual combination of ingredients, but their flavours really connect. Juniper berries are a dried ingredient found in the spice section of the supermarket and are best crushed in a mortar pestle. If you can’t find them, use whole allspice also called pimento or star anise instead. The yoghurt will split while baking, but a gentle stir with the finishing fresh orange will help re-amalgamate.
Ingredients
(Serves 4)
2 oranges
½ cup Greek yoghurt
1 tbsp Dijon mustard
1 tsp juniper berries, crushed
4 x Free range skinless chicken thighs
1 tsp salt
1 red onion, peeled
2 fresh bay leaves
2 tbsp olive oil
Method
- Zest and juice one orange and combine with the yoghurt, mustard, juniper and salt in a medium sized bowl.
- Place the chicken pieces in this marinade, moving them around to completely cover them.
- Preheat oven to 180ºC.
- Cut the red onion in halves lengthwise and then slice thickly with the grain to make long crescent-shaped pieces.
- Heat the olive oil in a heavy-based oven-proof frying pan and fry the red onion until brown. Remove from the pan into a bowl and keep to the side.
- Place the marinade covered chicken thigh pieces into the hot pan and allow to brown a little on high heat. The yoghurt will brown around the edges too.
- Pour over the remaining yoghurt marinade, add the bay leaves and spoon over the reserved cooked red onions.
- Bake for 30 minutes.
- Serve with the fresh orange segments or slices.
