Coriander, mint & chilli chutney chicken skewers with raita

Ingredients

• 500g boneless, skinless chicken thighs, cut in half

For the chutney

• 1 large bunch of coriander
• 1 bunch of fresh mint (half the amount of the coriander)
• 2 cloves of garlic
• 4cm piece of ginger, peeled
• 2 green chillies
• 2 limes, juiced
• 1 tsp sugar

For the raita

• 500ml Greek yoghurt
• 1 cucumber, de-seeded and grated
• 1 small bunch of mint, finely chopped
• 1 tsp cumin powder
• Juice of 1 lemon
• ½ tsp caster sugar
• ½ tsp chilli powder

For the first marinade (optional)

• 1 clove of garlic, crushed
• ½ tsp chilli powder
• Juice of 1 lemon

For the second marinade

• 6 tbsp coriander, mint and chilli chutney (above)
• 4 tbsp thick Greek yoghurt
• A pinch of salt
• Juice of ½ lime

Method

Place the chutney ingredients in a blender and whizz until smooth. If there isn’t enough liquid to get the mix moving, add a splash of water (but no more than a couple of tablespoons). Check and adjust the seasoning. The chutney can be kept in the fridge for 3-4 days, or frozen for 3 months. It’s great as a dipping sauce but I’m going to use it as a marinade for the chicken.

To prepare the raita, mix all the ingredients together, season and chill until required.

If you have time to use the first marinade, mix all the ingredients with the chicken thigh pieces, season and allow to marinate for 1-2 hours in the fridge.

Mix the ingredients for the second marinade together and, using your hands liberally coat the chicken pieces and place them in the fridge for a further 1-2 hours.

Heat your oven to 200C. Thread the chicken pieces onto metal skewers, leaving a small gap between each piece (if you crowd them too much, they run the risk of not cooking). You will probably need 6 skewers for this amount. Roast in the oven for 12-15 mins.

To finish, place the skewers on a preheated barbecue over white glowing embers (or under a hot grill) until they start to char, turning to colour on all sides. When thoroughly cooked through (approximately 15 mins, but keep checking), take the chicken off the skewers and serve on a platter along with bowls of the raita, the remaining chutney and some naans or other flatbreads.