Get Mediterranean with this earthy, savoury and garlicky roast chicken meal prep. Just a touch of yogurt ensures that the meat comes out tangy, juicy and tender.
Time: 3/5
Rice cooker, oven, then stove. The recipe flows smoothly from one to the next.
Effort: 3/5
Appliances do most of the work, the degree of effort mostly depends on what the vegetables demand.
Garlic and Spice makes Everything Nice
Boneless, skin-on chicken thighs are my favourite meal prep protein. And yogurt based marinades are my favourite way to season them! Yogurt makes meat tender, juicy and tangy for science reasons, and the extra browning they help achieve is a huge bonus too. When I’m not using it in a marinade, I’m having it with a drizzle of honey as a bedtime snack, or as a substitute for mayonnaise in sauces and dressings.
A recent lunch with cumin-crusted pork chops inspired me to bring the flavour profile to chicken thighs. I wanted to create a sort of Middle Eastern, North African vibe by adding cumin to a garlicky yogurt marinade. Think of it as a twist on the OG garlicky yogurt chicken.
I’m happy to report that it turned out great! Cumin is a delightful spice, and the warm earthy flavour went very well with the brown and crispy chicken skin. Although having tried it on both pork and chicken, I have to say that I prefer it on the pork. Cumin benefits from having a more robust meat in the background for it to play off of.
But then, this blog isn’t about going all out, it’s about prepping decent meals that are decently tasty and reasonably nutritious. Which is a bar that these cumin-spiced chicken thighs comfortably exceeds, and the reason why I present it for your consideration to include in your recipe rotation.
Dramatis Personae
Served 8.
Boneless skinless chicken thighs – 8 pieces, or 1kg
Shops around here sell chicken in 1kg bags, and it’s incidentally also the most chicken I can fit in one layer on my roasting pan. Happy coincidences.
Through trial and error, I’ve settled on this form of chicken as my default meal prep protein. The skin is great for flavour, thighs don’t overlook like breasts, and there are no bones to take up space in the oven.
Yogurt – one tablespoon
Or less. You need just enough for it to form a paste with the rest of the seasonings, and coat the chicken lightly. Any extra just sticks to the sides of whatever you marinade the chicken in, and doesn’t make it into the meal.
Lemon juice – 2 teaspoons
Or a healthy squirt from the lazy lemon. I don’t use lemons often enough to justify keeping fresh lemons around, so the loss of quality from the bottled stuff is a compromise I am happy to make.
Cumin – 1 tablespoon
Don’t be shy! Freshly ground is best, but ain’t nobody got time for that.
Cinnamon – half a teaspoon
Just enough to notice in the background, but not enough for it to stand out.
Salt and pepper – to taste
I usually aim to add about 0.6% of the protein’s weight in salt. It’s less than what most recommend, but I’m trying to retrain my palate to appreciate food with less sodium and hopefully reap some health benefits. When the WHO has something to say about it, I’m inclined to listen.
Vegetables – 1.5 heads of cabbage (~1800g) and a large carrot (~400g)
Always eat your veggies! Cabbage and carrots are both quite meal prep friendly, and the two together add a wonderful sweetness to any meal. I cooked them in a wok until they were done, drained the resulting liquid, and seasoned with a glug of oyster sauce. Simple but effective.
Executive summary
- Mix marinade ingredients with chicken thighs and refrigerate overnight.
- The next day, begin by starting the rice cooker.
- Preheat oven to 200C/400F. Line a baking sheet with aluminium foil and parchment paper.
- Roast chicken for 30 minutes, skin side up.
- In the meantime, prepare and cook the vegetables.
- Assemble and serve.
Play by Play
Last things first. I usually marinade my chicken right inside the bag it came with, but this time the bag sprung a leak as the chicken defrosted. It’s happened to me before with fish, so maybe I need to take precautions with chicken as well in the future.
Just a tiny bit of yogurt is enough to coat the chicken. I’m using it as a binder to make a spice paste, which will hold the flavour right up a against the meat.
The next day. I’ve set up the rice cooker, so once the chicken is settled in the oven I’ll have my hands free to cook the vegetables. Let it roast skin side up all the way, I’m not worried about the skin burning because the baking sheet is so crowded, I’ll save myself the trouble of flipping the meat halfway.
That’s a lot of vegetables! But we’re making a lot of meals. Sharp knife makes quick work.
I like to let the carrots get a head start, then add the cabbage in batches. There’s too much to fit in the pan all at once, but new space will appear as the vegetables cook down.
Drain the vegetables once they’re done to your liking, then stir in a good glug of oyster sauce. This was maybe two glugs, for 8 portions. There’s plenty of flavour in the chicken, so I like to keep my vegetables sweet and lightly seasoned to act as a counterpoint.
The rice and the chicken is probably ready by the time the vegetables are done – time for dinner!
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