Equipment
Ingredients
Spiced Chicken
- 600 g boneless skinless chicken breast, trimmed and cubed
- 20 ml olive oil
- 4 g ground cumin
- 3 g ground coriander
- 3 g sweet paprika
- 2 g ground turmeric
- 4 g fine sea salt
- 1 g black pepper, freshly ground
Garlic Yogurt Sauce
- 400 g whole milk greek yogurt, room temperature
- 3 garlic, peeled and finely grated
- 20 ml lemon juice
- 15 ml extra virgin olive oil
- 2 g fine sea salt
Nut Garnish and Finishing
- 30 g unsalted butter
- 25 g pine nuts
- 20 g slivered almonds
- 10 g fresh flat-leaf parsley, finely chopped
Nutrition (per serving)
Nutrition is estimated per serving. Nutrients without complete source data are omitted.
Full nutrition
- Calories
- 489 kcal
- Protein
- 45 g
- Carbohydrates
- 9 g
- Fat
- 30 g
- Fiber
- 2 g
- Sodium
- 698 mg
- Saturated Fat
- 9 g
- Potassium
- 778 mg
- Calcium
- 145 mg
- Iron
- 2.4 mg
- Magnesium
- 80 mg
- Phosphorus
- 510 mg
- Zinc
- 2.1 mg
- Vitamin A
- 97 mcg
- Vitamin C
- 6 mg
- Water
- 202 g
Sources: Aggregated Public Data, USDA FoodData Central
Method
Cut the trimmed chicken breasts into 3 cm (1.2 inch) bite-sized cubes on a designated raw poultry cutting board using a chef's knife, then immediately wash hands, board, and knife thoroughly with soap and warm water to prevent cross-contamination.
Place the cubed chicken into a medium mixing bowl, add 20 ml olive oil, 4 g ground cumin, 3 g ground coriander, 3 g sweet paprika, 2 g ground turmeric, 4 g fine sea salt, and 1 g freshly ground black pepper, then stir until every piece is uniformly coated and let rest for 10 minutes.
Combine 400 g room-temperature Greek yogurt, 3 finely grated garlic cloves, 20 ml fresh lemon juice, 15 ml extra virgin olive oil, and 2 g fine sea salt in a small mixing bowl, then whisk until completely emulsified and glossy.
Melt 30 g unsalted butter in a small skillet over medium-low heat at 135°C (275°F), add 25 g pine nuts and 20 g slivered almonds, and stir constantly for 3 to 4 minutes until the nuts are uniformly golden brown and fragrant, then immediately pour the nuts and melted butter into a heatproof bowl to stop the cooking.
Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat at 190°C (375°F), place the seasoned chicken pieces in a single layer using tongs, and sear undisturbed for 4 minutes on the first side, then flip and cook for another 3 to 4 minutes until thoroughly cooked and a digital meat thermometer inserted into the center of the largest piece registers at least 74°C (165°F).
Transfer the seared chicken from the hot skillet to a clean plate using tongs and let rest for 3 minutes so the savory juices settle back into the meat.
Spoon the garlic Greek yogurt sauce onto the center of a serving platter and spread it outward in sweeping circular motions using the back of a spoon to create shallow dips for catching juices.
Arrange the rested, warm spiced chicken cubes neatly over the bed of garlic Greek yogurt sauce using tongs.
Pour the warm butter and toasted nut mixture evenly over the chicken and yogurt sauce, scatter 10 g finely chopped flat-leaf parsley across the top, and serve immediately.
Chef's Notes
- High-fat Greek yogurt (between 5% and 10% milkfat) provides the essential rich body that withstands the citric acid of the lemon without breaking or thinning excessively.
- Coating the raw chicken cubes directly in oil and dry spices blooms the fat-soluble flavor compounds during the searing step, locking in vibrant flavor and color.
- Pouring the foaming nut butter over the assembled plate is a traditional technique called tadka or tasheh that imparts a rich aromatic finish to yogurt dishes.
- For additional Levantine character, sprinkle 2 g of ground sumac or Aleppo pepper flakes over the final garnish.
Storage
Refrigerator: 3 days — Cool leftovers quickly in a shallow airtight container and refrigerate within 2 hours. For best texture, store the chicken and yogurt sauce separately.
Reheating: Reheat leftover chicken in a skillet over medium heat or in a microwave until the internal temperature reaches at least 74°C (165°F). Spoon over chilled or room-temperature yogurt sauce rather than heating the yogurt directly.
Troubleshooting
The yogurt sauce curdles or weeps liquid onto the platter
Cause: The yogurt sauce was exposed to extreme direct heat from boiling pan juices, or cold low-fat yogurt was used
Fix: Whisk 15 ml of fresh whole milk Greek yogurt vigorously into the sauce base to re-emulsify the texture
Prevention: Use whole milk Greek yogurt, keep it at room temperature, and rest the chicken for 3 minutes before placing it on top of the sauce
Pine nuts turn dark brown and taste acrid
Cause: Pine nuts have high natural oil content and scorch rapidly if left unattended or kept in a hot pan off heat
Fix: Cannot be fixed; scorched nuts must be discarded and a fresh batch toasted
Prevention: Cook over medium-low heat, stir continuously, and immediately transfer the nuts and butter to a separate heatproof bowl
Chicken breast cubes turn out dry and tough
Cause: The chicken was cooked beyond the recommended safe internal temperature of 74°C (165°F)
Fix: Toss the warm chicken in an extra 15 ml of melted butter or olive oil before arranging it over the rich yogurt sauce
Prevention: Use an instant-read thermometer starting at minute 6 of cooking to remove meat as soon as it hits 74°C (165°F)
Cultural Context
This recipe honors Levantine culinary traditions where warm, spiced proteins are balanced by tangy garlic yogurt, known widely in dishes such as Fattet Djej and Shakerieh. In Middle Eastern home cooking and festive gatherings, crowning savory stews or seared poultry with nuts sizzled in butter or ghee is an expression of generous hospitality. The pairing offers a time-honored interplay between the hot, earthy spices of coriander and cumin and the cooling, rich acidity of strained laban.
