Juicy, golden-brown chicken bites packed with rich, savory flavor, fluffy yellow Israeli ptitim and a fresh, zesty tomato salad make an irresistible combination. A little secret ingredient in the marinade — mayonnaise — keeps the chicken wonderfully tender and juicy, making every bite especially delicious. Together, these simple dishes create a mouthwatering meal the whole family will love.
Oven-roasted chicken thigh bites with ptitim and salad
(Photo: Asaf Mizrahi)
Ingredients
Serves 6
- 2.2 pounds (1 kilogram) boneless, skinless chicken thighs, cut into bite-sized pieces
For the marinade:
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
- 1/4 cup mayonnaise
- 1/4 cup soy sauce
- 1/4 cup date syrup (silan)
- 3 garlic cloves, crushed
- About 1/2 teaspoon salt
- About 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
- 1 tablespoon paprika
Instructions
- Place the chicken pieces in a bowl, add all the marinade ingredients and mix well. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and refrigerate for about an hour.
- Preheat the oven to 425°F (220°C) on the broil setting.
- Arrange the chicken pieces on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper and roast for 15 minutes. Stir the chicken and roast for another 15-20 minutes, or until browned on all sides and cooked through.
Perfectly fluffy ptitim with every piece separate
Ptitim are small pieces of toasted pasta, typically shaped like rice or tiny balls, that are a staple of Israeli home cooking. The secret to getting them perfectly fluffy, with each piece separate rather than stuck together, is stirring them as they cool.
Tip: If not serving immediately, stir the ptitim every few minutes after cooking until they cool to prevent them from sticking together. If they cool without being stirred and form a clump, you can easily break them apart to separate the individual pieces.
- Place 1 large grated onion, 4 tablespoons oil and a little salt in a medium saucepan. Sauté over medium heat for 10-15 minutes, or until the onion turns golden.
- Add 2 cups ptitim and sauté for 2-3 minutes, until some of the pasta pieces are lightly browned.
- Add the seasonings — 1/4 teaspoon turmeric, 1 teaspoon salt and about 1/4 teaspoon black pepper (or to taste) — and sauté for a few seconds.
- Pour in about 3 cups boiling water and stir. Cover the pot with a kitchen towel, then secure the lid over it. Reduce the heat to its lowest setting and cook for 10 minutes. Keep the towel away from the flame or heating element.
- After 10 minutes, turn off the heat, remove the lid and stir the ptitim. There will still be some liquid in the pot, which is fine. Cover again and let rest for 10 minutes. Remove the lid, stir well and serve immediately.
Tomato salad
- Dice 8 tomatoes and 1 red onion. Finely chop 1 hot pepper and the leaves from 1/2 bunch cilantro. Crush 1-2 garlic cloves.
- Combine everything in a bowl with 2 tablespoons olive oil, 2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice, about 1/2 teaspoon salt and a little freshly ground black pepper. Mix well and serve.