Chicken with saffron and paprika spiced yogurt
Serves: 4-6
Prep time: 30 minsTotal time: 
Recipe photograph by Issy Croker
Chicken with saffron and paprika spiced yogurt
Use chicken legs or a mix of thighs and drumsticks. Let them marinate overnight if you have the time, and serve with generous dollops of the spiced yogurt
Serves: 4-6
Prep time: 30 minsTotal time: 
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Nutritional information (per serving)
Calories
385Kcal
Fat
20gr
Saturates
5gr
Carbs
6gr
Sugars
6gr
Fibre
0gr
Protein
47gr
Salt
0.5gr
Melissa Hemsley
Melissa is one half of Hemsley + Hemsley - the business she set up with her sister Jasmine, which pioneered healthier modern cooking. She has written four books, has a newspaper column and has grown a large following on social media
See more of Melissa Hemsley’s recipes
Melissa Hemsley
Melissa is one half of Hemsley + Hemsley - the business she set up with her sister Jasmine, which pioneered healthier modern cooking. She has written four books, has a newspaper column and has grown a large following on social media
See more of Melissa Hemsley’s recipes
Ingredients
For the chicken
- about 1kg chicken legs, or thighs and drumsticks
- 6 sprigs rosemary
- 6 garlic cloves, sliced finely
- zest and juice of 1 lemon, plus 2 lemons, halved, optional
- 4 tbsp olive oil
- 2 tbsp chopped flat-leaf parsley, to serve
For the saffron yogurt
- a small pinch of saffron strands (about 6 strands)
- 300g full-fat natural yogurt
- 1 tsp smoked paprika, plus a pinch
- 1 small garlic clove, crushed
- extra-virgin olive oil, to serve
Step by step
Get ahead
Marinate the chicken overnight.
- Place the chicken in a large dish. Chop the needles from 2 sprigs of rosemary and add to the dish with the whole sprigs, garlic, lemon zest and juice and the olive oil. Add some seasoning and, using your hands, rub all over the chicken. Cover and leave to marinate for at least 30 minutes or overnight in the fridge, if you have time.
- Preheat the oven to 200°C, fan 180°C, gas 6. Place a griddle pan over a high heat. When it’s really hot and smoking, cook the chicken, skin-side down, for 3-4 minutes or until the skin is crispy, then turn over and cook for a further 4 minutes, adding the lemon halves, cut-side down, if using. Transfer to a roasting tray and add any remaining marinade and the herb sprigs from the dish; cook in the oven for 20 minutes or until cooked through. Remove; leave to rest for 5-10 minutes before serving.
- Meanwhile add the saffron strands to 1 tablespoon of boiling water in a bowl and leave for 5-10 minutes to infuse and cool. Then add the remaining ingredients (except the pinch of paprika) to the bowl and mix well. Season, drizzle with a swirl of extra virgin olive oil and scatter with the pinch of smoked paprika and serve alongside the chicken. Scatter with the parsley to serve.
