This healthy and delicious summer meal was quick to prepare- a great combination. The recipe caught my eye after receiving some beautiful zucchini from a neighbor. Perfect.
I was also able to use my new Japanese mortar and pestle to crack the coriander seeds. Exciting! 😉 The recipe was adapted from The New York Times, contributed by Melissa Clark. I used boneless, skinless chicken thighs, modified the roasting time and method, and served the dish over brown Basmati rice to absorb all of the wonderful pan juices.
Yield: Serves 4 to 6
- 2 to 2 1/2Â pounds boneless, skinless chicken thighs (I used 8 thighs)
- Â coarse salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 2 large zucchini (about 1 1/2 pounds), sliced into 1-inch rounds
- 3 large or 5 medium garlic cloves, finely grated, passed through a press or minced
- 2Â tsp dried mint or oregano
- 1 tsp coriander seeds, cracked with a mortar and pestle or the flat side of a chef’s knife
- 1/4Â tsp red-pepper flakes, plus more for serving
- 3Â T extra-virgin olive oil, plus more as needed
- freshly squeezed lemon juice from half of a lemon, plus lemon wedges, for serving, as desired
- 1/2Â cup torn or chiffonade fresh basil leaves, for serving
- 1 cup brown Basmati rice
- 2 cups chicken stock
- Heat oven to 425 degrees. (I set my oven to convection roast with a racks positioned in the center and top third of the oven.
- Meanwhile, prepare the rice. Bring the chicken stock to a boil and add the rice. Cover, reduce temperature to low and cook for 30 minutes or until cooked.
- Pat chicken dry with paper towels, and season all over with 1 teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon black pepper.
- Place zucchini on a parchment paper-lined, rimmed sheet pan, and season with a little more salt and pepper.
- In a small bowl, combine garlic, mint or oregano, coriander and red-pepper flakes. Whisk in oil.
- Add chicken to the pan with the zucchini pieces and pour garlic mixture over all, tossing until well coated.
- Spread chicken and zucchini in a single layer, and roast until chicken for 10 to 12 minutes. (I placed the chicken “skin side down.”)
- Remove pan from the oven and flip chicken over (to “skin side up”).
- Continue to cook until the chicken is cooked through and zucchini is browned and caramelized, about 10 to 12 minutes more, or until the chicken reaches an internal temperature of 165 degrees on an instant read thermometer.
- Remove the pan from the oven and squeeze the juice from half of a lemon over the chicken and zucchini.
- To serve, fill a rimmed platter with the rice. Top with the chicken and zucchini followed by a drizzle of pan juices over the top.
- Garnish with basil and serve with more lemon wedges and red-pepper flakes on the side, as desired.
thebrookcook 