Berbere Yogurt Chicken with Basmati Pilaf and Roasted Zucchini

This berbere yogurt chicken brings bold spice, tangy yogurt and a touch of char together in a simple oven dinner. The warm spice blend pairs beautifully with garlic, lemon and tender chicken breasts.

Serve it over basmati rice pilaf with roasted zucchini, fresh cilantro and a cooling lemon yogurt sauce for a balanced plate with bright, savory flavor.

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Ingredients

12 ounce Chicken BreastsView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

1 teaspoon BerbereView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

1 unit YogurtView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

1 unit Yellow OnionView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

1 unit ZucchiniView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

2 clove GarlicView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

0.25 ounce CilantroView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

0.75 cup Basmati RiceView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

1 unit LemonView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

1 unit Chicken Stock ConcentrateView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

1 tablespoon Olive OilView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

unit SaltView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

unit PepperView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

Instructions

1. Wash and dry all produce. Preheat the broiler to high or heat the oven to 500 degrees. Halve, peel and dice the onion. Mince the garlic. Cut the zucchini into 1/2-inch cubes.
2. In a medium bowl, combine the chicken breasts, berbere, half of the yogurt and a large pinch each of salt and pepper. Turn the chicken until evenly coated in the marinade.
3. Heat a drizzle of olive oil in a medium pot over medium-high heat. Add the diced onion and minced garlic and cook, tossing, until softened, 3 to 4 minutes.
4. Stir the basmati rice into the pot. Add 1 1/2 cups water, a large pinch of salt and the chicken stock concentrate. Bring to a boil, then cover and reduce to a low simmer. Cook until the rice is tender, about 15 minutes.
5. Lightly oil a baking sheet. Place the marinated chicken on one half of the sheet. Broil until the surface is lightly charred, 3 to 5 minutes.
6. While the chicken broils, toss the zucchini in a medium bowl with a drizzle of olive oil and a pinch each of salt and pepper.
7. Remove the baking sheet from the oven. Flip the chicken, reduce the oven temperature to 425 degrees and spread the zucchini on the empty half of the baking sheet. Bake until the chicken is no longer pink inside and the zucchini is tender, about 12 minutes.
8. Meanwhile, zest and halve the lemon. In a small bowl, stir the lemon zest and a squeeze of lemon juice into the remaining yogurt. Thin with about 1 tablespoon water as needed, then season with salt and pepper.
9. Coarsely chop the cilantro. Stir half of it into the cooked rice pilaf.
10. Serve the chicken and roasted zucchini over the rice pilaf. Top with a dollop of lemon yogurt and the remaining cilantro.

Recipe Tips

FAQ

What is berbere?

Berbere is an Ethiopian spice blend. In this recipe, it brings flavor from spices such as garlic, red pepper, cardamom, coriander and fenugreek.

How do I know when the chicken is done?

Bake until the chicken is no longer pink inside. The zucchini should also be tender by the time the chicken is finished.

Can I make the lemon yogurt thicker or thinner?

Yes. Use less water for a thicker dollop or stir in about a tablespoon of water to make it looser and easier to spoon over the chicken.