Classically, chicken is paired with lemon, hit that with the right spices and a delicious meal is yours to devour. However, last week disaster struck, I looked in my fridge and alas, no lemons. I was determined to make something fruity out of my chicken dinner so instead of panicking, I decided to use the clementine and I was saving for my lunch snack. Fun fact, we call them tangerines in Nigeria. Sweet and not as tangy as its cousin lemon, the clementines added an amazing touch to this dish. The lime also comes out beautifully. The chicken turned out crisp on the outside and succulent and juicy on the inside and the sauce was to die for. So if you’re feeling daring, or you’re just out of lemons, try this for dinner.

Enjoy, Gbemi x

Ingredients

4 large skin-on chicken thighs

1 clementine, sliced thinly

1 lime, sliced thinly

3 teaspoons olive oil, divided

1 onion, sliced thinly

3 sprigs coriander

½ garlic clove, minced

½ teaspoon chili

¼ cup chicken stock

2 tomatoes cut in wedges

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Method

• Preheat oven to 425°. Season chicken thighs with salt and pepper.
• Lightly grease a large pan with olive oil. Add chicken, skin side down. Place skillet over medium heat and cook till the skin begins to crisp. Scoop off the excess fat to maintain a thin layer in the pan. Cook for approximately 10 minutes.
• Place half the citrus slices over the chicken and half in the bottom of the pan. Transfer to the oven and roast till chicken is cooked through and clementine slices begin to caramelize, 10-12 minutes.
• Remove the chicken and some caramelized clementine slices from the pan and place on a tray. Return the pan to a burner, add the coriander, onion, garlic, chili and tomatoes and cook till it begins to brown. Stir constantly.
• Deglaze with the chicken stock and cook till the sauce begins to thicken. Season with salt and pepper and fresh lemon juice, then and add the skin side up.
• Garnish and serve.