Chermoula marinated chicken skewers with almond and brown butter cous cous

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Move over supermarket-bought kebab sticks, Fred's chef Danielle Alvarez shows you how to give your chicken skewers a fresh flavour punch.

INGREDIENTS

• 500g Lilydale chicken breasts

Marinade

• Half a bunch coriander, stems and leaves chopped
• 2 tbsp parsley leaves
• 15g deseeded green chilli
• 3 garlic cloves, chopped
• 6g ginger, peeled
• 20ml extra-virgin olive oil
• 20ml lime juice

Cous cous

• 1 cup instant cous cous
• 1 cup chicken stock
• ½ stick cinnamon
• 1 star anise
• 1 tsp coriander seeds
• pinch saffron
• 30g butter
• 40g flaked almonds

Pickled red onion

• ½ red onion
• 50ml lime juice
• 2 tbsp mint leaves, chopped

To serve

• labne
• lime wedges

METHOD

1. Firstly, make your marinade. Combine all the ingredients in a blender or small food processor and blend until smooth. Dice chicken into bite size cubes and sprinkle with salt. Place the chicken and marinade in a bowl and toss together to combine. Cover and refrigerate for at least two hours.

2. Before cooking, skewer the chicken onto bamboo or metal skewers and heat a grill pan on the stove or an outdoor charcoal grill. Allow the chicken to sit at room temperature while this happens so they temper and cook more evenly.

3. While the grill is heating up, thinly slice the red onion and rinse it under cold running water in a sieve. Then, place the onion in a small bowl with a pinch of salt and the lime juice. Set aside.

4. To make the cous cous, combine the chicken stock, a good pinch of salt, saffron, coriander seeds, star anise and cinnamon stick in a small pot and bring to the boil. Place the cous cous in another pot or bowl with a tight-fitting lid (a bowl with cling film works too). When the stock has come to the boil, strain it through a sieve directly onto the cous cous. Stir, then immediately cover for at least 5 minutes. In a small sautee pan, combine the butter and flaked almonds and set over medium heat. Cook until the butter has melted, caramelised and the almonds have caramelised as well (it should only take 2-3 minutes). Once this has happened, lift the lid and fluff it with a fork and pour the brown butter directly onto the cous cous, give it a stir and replace the lid.

5. To cook the chicken, make sure your grill pan is really hot. Add the chicken skewers and cook for 4-5 minutes per side. Try not to touch them or move them around too much so they get good grill marks. Remove from the grill and serve immediately. Serve with a scoop of the cous cous, a pinch of the pickled onions, a dollop of labne and a sprinkling of fresh mint leaves.

Serves 3-4

For nearly 20 years, passionate Lilydale farmers have been perfecting free range farming based on one simple belief: chicken that's raised better, tastes better. Today, our commitment to quality and to the welfare of our chickens is what sets us apart.

We work hard to raise Australia's favourite free range chicken. But that kind of devotion makes all the difference.

From our farm to your plate. Where the finest ingredients transform into memorable dishes.

Lilydale. Dedication you can taste.