Harissa Chicken Salad
This is based on a much-loved dish from the LEON menu. In the restaurants, we serve it with aioli rather than the harissa mayo we’ve used here. You could do the same or you could buy our LEON aioli.
PREP TIME 20 MINUTES ○ C OOK TIME 40 MINUTES SoF / N F / W F / G F / D F ○ SERVES 4
Ingredients
- 4 bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs
- 2 teaspoons harissa paste
- 2 tablespoons neutral oil
- 1 red onion, sliced into wedges
- 250g (9oz) celeriac, cut into 2cm
- (3/4 in) chunks
- 350g (12oz) butternut squash, cut into
- 2cm (3/4 in) chunks
- 150g (5.oz) carrot, cut into 2cm
- (3/4 in) chunks
- 1 teaspoon nigella seeds
- 1 teaspoon ground turmeric
- salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 2 big handfuls of baby spinach
- 2 big handfuls of rocket
- 3 tablespoons Pink Pickled Onions
FOR THE DRESSING:
- 4 tablespoons mayonnaise
- 2 teaspoons harissa paste, or to taste
- 2 teaspoon freshly squeezed lemon juice,or to taste
- Water
Method
1. Heat the oven to 200ºC fan/425°F/gas mark 7.
2. Place the chicken thighs on a baking tray and rub them all over with the harissa and 1 tablespoon of the oil. Tip the onion, celeriac, squash and carrot onto a second baking tray, add the nigella seeds, turmeric, 1 tablespoon of oil and lots of salt and pepper, then toss with a spoon until everything is coated (you can use your hands but they will go yellow!). Roast both trays in the oven for 40 minutes, tossing the
vegetables and basting the chicken once, halfway through. Remove from the oven and allow to cool until warm rather than hot.
3. To make the dressing, stir the mayo and harissa together in a bowl and squeeze in the lemon juice, then add just enough water – a splash – to thin the dressing until it’s pourable. Taste and add more harissa or lemon, if needed.
4. Divide the spinach and rocket among 4 plates or wide shallow bowls, then add some roasted vegetables and a chicken thigh to each. Scatter over the pickled onions (or sauerkraut), spoon over the dressing and add a final pinch of salt. Eat while warm.
