Ras El Hanout Chicken and Yogurt Sauce
Prep Time
25 minutes
Prep Notes
This recipe is about the spice mix and the sauce. You can prepare the chicken however you like;you can’t go wrong. I’ll give you three ideas, but feel free to cook the chicken breast however you want.
Ras El Hanout is a spice blend used all over North Africa and the Middle East but is arguably best associated with Moroccan cooking. There are countless variations on the mix and dozens of short cuts to make it. The key ingredient that is often missing in American variations is sumac, which is a tart, yet bright spice loaded with vitamins C and A, and packed with anti-oxidants. Turmeric is another key ingredient that is a great anti-inflammatory agent that is also fantastic for joint health.
Feel free to experiment with different combinations and ratios and see what fits your goals and taste buds.
Cooking Time
Spice Mix: 5 minutes. Yogurt Sauce: 5 minutes. Chicken: 12-30 minutes (depending on your cooking method) plus 1 hour or more for marinade
Yields
2.5 Tbl (enough for 4 servings of chicken
Ingredients
Ras El Hanout:
1 tbl sumac
¼ tsp each cayenne, turmeric, smoked paprika, cumin,cardamon, cloves, cinnamon, ginger, coriander, nutmeg, fenugreek.
Yogurt sauce:
½ cup Greek yogurt
1 tbl sumac
1tbl fresh mint leaves
Chicken:
2 large chicken breasts, cut into 1 ½ inch cubes.
Directions
- Mix the spices for the Ras El Hanout in a small bowl.
- Put the chicken in a glass container with 2 tspof the Ras El Hanout a pinch of salt and a generous dousing of olive oil. Cover and allow to marinate for minimum one hour. Save the rest of the Ras El Hanout in your spice cabinet for later use.
- Make the yogurt sauce by mixing all the ingredients for the yogurt sauce in a bowl. Add more sumac or mint to taste. Cover and put in the fridge until ready to serve.
Ideas for the chicken.
- Put in the air-frier for 10 minutes at 180*C (355*F). Serve with curried potatoes, steamed broccoli and spinach, and the yogurt sauce on the side.
- Grill it until internal temp reaches 75*c(165*F). Serve in a wrap with arugula or other dark leafy greens, red onion, pomegranate seeds, sliced cucumber, and the yogurt sauce. (pictured above)
- Sautee on the stove top until internal temperature reaches 75*C (165*F). Serve in a bowl with wild or brown rice; diced red onion, tomato, and cucumber;pomegranate vinegar; hummus; sriracha; and – of course – the yogurt sauce. Mix well.
Notes
Seriously, you can't go wrong with this recipe. Cook the chicken however you want and experiment with the mix ratios and ingredients. Try out all sorts of variations until you get what you like. As long as you're not subbing out the Sumac, you'll be fine.
Save some time by making the chicken marinade well in advance and freezing it. Let it thaw overnight when you're ready to eat.