A vibrant, spicy green relish gives griddled marinated chicken delicious depth
Diana Henry
The Telegraph's award-winning cookery writer
Diana Henry is the Telegraph’s much-loved cookery writer. She shares recipes each week, for everything from speedy family dinners to special menus that friends will remember for months. She is also a regular broadcaster on BBC Radio 4, and her journalism and recipe books, including Simple and How to Eat a Peach, are multi-award-winning. A mother of two sons, Diana can satisfy even the fussiest of eaters.
Published
This is a great relish – everybody loves it. I know a few people who keep it in the fridge and eat it straight from the bowl. It works well with lamb, fish, roast vegetables and sweet potatoes as well as chicken, also feta and labneh.
Requires marinating time
Overview
Prep time
30 mins
Cook time
16 mins
Serves
4
Ingredients
- 6 skinless, boneless chicken thighs
- 6 tbsp olive oil
- ½ tsp ground cinnamon
- ¾ tsp cayenne pepper
- 1½ tsp ground cumin
- 2 garlic cloves, grated to a purée
For the relish
- 2 garlic cloves, chopped
- 1 green chilli
- 1 red chilli
- 15g coriander, roughly chopped
- Leaves from 8 sprigs of mint, torn
- 70g pitted green olives, roughly chopped
- 6 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
- 2 tbsp white balsamic vinegar
- Good squeeze of lemon juice, plus lemon wedges to serve
Method
Step
Put 3 of the skinless and boneless chicken thighs between two pieces of greaseproof paper or baking parchment. Bash them with a rolling pin so that you end up with fillets that are of an even thickness.
Step
Do the same with the remaining 3 skinless and boneless chicken thighs.
Step
Mix 6 tbsp olive oil, ½ tsp ground cinnamon, ¾ tsp cayenne pepper, 1½ tsp ground cumin, 2 grated garlic cloves and some seasoning together for the marinade.
Step
Put the chicken into a dish and pour over the marinade, turning the fillets to coat them.
Step
Cover with cling film and refrigerate for a couple of hours or overnight. Bring them out of the fridge before cooking so that they’re not cold.
Step
Make the relish just before you cook the chicken. Crush 2 chopped garlic cloves with a pinch of sea-salt flakes using a pestle and mortar.
Step
Halve and deseed 1 green chilli and 1 red chilli and roughly chop.
Step
Add to the mortar with 15g roughly chopped coriander, the torn leaves from 8 sprigs of mint and 70g roughly chopped pitted green olives and bash everything together, gradually adding 6 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil and 2 tbsp white balsamic vinegar until you have a paste (it should be chunky, not puréed).
Step
Add a good squeeze of lemon juice to taste and set aside.
Step
Heat a griddle until hot. Lift the chicken out of the marinade, shaking off the excess, and cook on a medium heat for about two minutes on each side, then reduce the heat to low and cook for a further 2 minutes on each side. The chicken should be cooked through and singed in places, but not burnt.
Step
Serve with lemon wedges, rice, bulgur or flatbread, a bowl of Greek yogurt and the relish.