Serves 4
Preparation time 10 minutes, plus marinating
Cooking time 35–45 minutes
4 chicken quarters
2 lemons, cut in half
1 tablespoon dried oregano
2 sprigs of thyme
4 tablespoons olive oil
4 garlic cloves, roughly chopped
Yogurt sauce
250 ml (8 fl oz) thick Greek yogurt
1–2 garlic cloves
½ teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon chopped dill
Rub the chicken quarters all over, quite hard, with the cut lemons. Place the chicken quarters in a bowl or shallow dish. Add the oregano, thyme, olive oil, garlic and rubbed lemon halves and mix everything together well. Cover with clingfilm and leave to marinate in the refrigerator for at least 2 hours.
Meanwhile, make the yogurt sauce. Pour the yogurt into a bowl and beat until smooth. Mash together the garlic and salt in a bowl, then stir into the yogurt with the dill. Set aside.
Transfer the marinated chicken to a roasting tin and roast in a preheated oven, 200°C (400°F), Gas Mark 6, for 35–45 minutes, spooning over a bit of the marinade now and then if the chicken looks too dry or burnt. To test whether the chicken is cooked through, pierce at the thickest point with a skewer – if the juices run clear, it is ready.
Serve with the yogurt sauce and a big plate of piping-hot chips and salad leaves.
For chicken salad with yogurt sauce, cook the chicken as above, then leave to cool. Take the meat off the bones and cut into chunks. Mix into the yogurt sauce. Divide a 125 g (4 oz) bag of mixed salad leaves among 4 plates, then spoon the chicken salad on top. Alternatively, spoon into toasted and split pitta breads, if liked.