Lemon Pepper Chicken with Lemon Rice and Raita Recipe

Overview
Cook Time
Ingredients
Method

How To Make Lemon Pepper Chicken with Lemon Rice and Raita

While you can always prepare chicken recipes in the comforts of your own house, how about adding a touch of lemon and pepper to those chicken cuts of your choice? The combination of tangy lemon with pungent flavour of pepper makes this dish very flavourful. When paired with lemon rice and raita, this recipe makes for a wholesome meal.

Total Cook Time1 hr 10 mins
Prep Time 30 mins
Cook Time 40 mins
Recipe Servings4
Medium

Ingredients of Lemon Pepper Chicken with Lemon Rice and Raita

For Raita:
4 tbsp Very Finely diced cucumber
4 tbsp Very Finely diced carrot
1/2 Red Onion, finely diced
1/2 Lemon Juice
1 tbsp Castor Sugar
4 tbsp Natural yogurt
1 tbsp Finely chopped coriander
Salt
For Lemon Rice:
1 and a half cup Basmati rice, rinsed
4 Sprigs Curry Leaves
1 Lemon, zested and juiced
3 tsp Cumin Seeds
3 tsp Mustard Seeds
1 small Red onion, finely sliced
4 tbsp Sunflower oil
2 Green chillies, deseeded, chopped coarsely
2 Ground turmeric
1/2 tsp Asafoetida powder
6 cm Ginger, peeled, finely grated
3 tsp Castor Sugar
to taste Salt
1 and a half tbsp Finely chopped coriander leaves, to serve
For Lemon Pepper Chicken:
2 Spatchcocks
3 tbsp Sunflower oil
1 tbsp Cumin Seeds
1 tbsp Mustard Seeds
1 tsp Fenugreek Seeds
12 Curry Leaves
1 Red onion
4 cloves Garlic, finely diced
6cm piece Ginger, finely grated
Black peppercorns, crushed
2 tsp Ground coriander
Zest of 2 lemons
Juice of 1 lemon
1 tbsp Dark brown sugar
4 tbsp Chopped coriander leaves
banana leaf, to serve

How to Make Lemon Pepper Chicken with Lemon Rice and Raita

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For the Raita

Combine the cucumber, carrot and onion in a small bowl and add the lemon juice, sugar and a pinch of salt. Set aside for 10 minutes.

Add the yogurt and coriander and mix until evenly combined. Transfer to a small serving dish and set aside in the fridge.

For the Lemon Rice

Bring 1 ½ liters water to the boil.

Add the washed rice, 2 sprigs of curry leaves and a generous pinch of salt. Cook the rice until al dente, about 10 minutes. Drain the excess water from the saucepan.

Cover the saucepan with a folded wet tea towel then cover with the lid on. Place the saucepan onto a very low heat, taking care not to burn the tea towel, and allow to cook for a further 5-7 minutes.

Transfer the rice to a shallow baking tray. Remove the stem from the curry leaves and stir the curry leaves through the rice. Place into the freezer until cold but not frozen.

Heat a medium fry pan over medium heat. Add the cumin, mustard seeds and the curry leaves from 1 sprig and cook until fragrant. Add the oil and cook for another 2 minutes. Add the onions and ginger and cook until the onions are soft, stirring occasionally.

Add asafoetida and turmeric and stir through. Add the lemon zest and juice and chillies.

Add the rice and stir until evenly mixed. Add the curry leaves from 1 sprig and stir through. Add the sugar and salt, to taste.

Remove from the heat and transfer to a serving dish. Sprinkle it with coriander and set aside.

For the Lemon Pepper Chicken

Remove the breast filets from the spatchcocks and set aside. Remove the Marylands, de-bone and set aside. Chop the bones and the carcass into small pieces.

Heat the oil in a medium saucepan over high heat. Add the chopped bones, season with salt and cook over high heat until browned. Drain 3 tablespoons of oil and rendered chicken fat from the saucepan into a medium fry pan and set aside for cooking the spatchcock.

Add 3 cups of water to the saucepan with the bones and bring to the boil. Reduce the heat and allow the chicken stock to simmer gently.

Place the frypan of rendered chicken fat over medium high heat. Add the spatchcock portions, season with salt and cook until golden on both sides, about 2 minutes. Remove from the pan.

Reduce the heat to low and add the cumin, mustard seeds, fenugreek seeds and curry leaves to the pan and toast until fragrant.

Add the onion, garlic and ginger and cook until soft. Add the pepper and coriander and stir until fragrant then add the lemon juice and the zest.

Return the chicken to the pan and cook for a further 2-3 minutes, turning the chicken in the pan until coated in the spices and sauce in the pan appears split. Add 2 cups of the hot chicken stock, sugar and salt, to taste.

Simmer until the chicken is cooked through and liquid in the pan has reduced and is sticky. Season with salt to taste then remove from the heat. Transfer to a large serving bowl or plate.

To Serve

Line a large serving board with a banana leaf. Add the bowls of Lemon Pepper Chicken, Lemon Rice and Raita.

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