🍋 Spiced Lemon Chicken with Tomato-Butter Rice & Charred Asparagus

✨ Featured Spices:

• Sumac – for citrusy tang

• Ras El Hanout – rich, floral warmth

• Turmeric – earthy glow and golden color

• Aleppo-Style Chili Blend – fruity heat with a gentle kick (or Harissa powder for a bolder twist)

🛒 Ingredients

For the Chicken:

• 1 lb boneless chicken thighs or breasts

• Juice + zest of 1 lemon

• 2 tbsp olive oil

• 1 tsp Ras El Hanout

• ½ tsp Sumac

• ½ tsp Aleppo-Style Chili Blend (or Harissa powder)

• Salt + pepper

For the Rice:

• 1 cup jasmine or basmati rice

• 1–2 garlic cloves, minced

• 1 tbsp butter or olive oil

• ½ tsp Turmeric

• 1 cup fresh tomatoes, diced

• Salt to taste

For the Asparagus:

• 1 bunch asparagus, trimmed

• Olive oil

• Salt + pepper

• Pinch of Ras El Hanout or Sumac

Optional Garnish:

• Fresh parsley, mint, or dill

• Extra sumac or Aleppo-style blend

🔪 Instructions

1. Marinate the Chicken
In a bowl, whisk together olive oil, lemon juice, zest, Ras El Hanout, sumac, Aleppo-style blend, salt, and pepper. Coat chicken and marinate for 30 minutes.

2. Cook the Rice
In a saucepan, sauté garlic in olive oil or butter until fragrant. Add rice and turmeric and toast for 1–2 minutes. Add water or broth, bring to a boil, then reduce heat and cook per rice package instructions.
Once cooked, stir in tomatoes and a touch more butter. Cover and let rest for 5 minutes.

3. Cook the Chicken
Grill or pan-sear chicken over medium heat until golden and fully cooked. Let rest before slicing.

4. Char the Asparagus
Toss asparagus with olive oil, salt, pepper, and a pinch of Ras El Hanout or sumac. Grill or sear in a hot pan until just tender with a nice char.

5. Plate & Serve
Spoon rice onto plates, top with sliced chicken, and arrange asparagus alongside. Garnish with fresh herbs and an extra dusting of sumac or Aleppo blend.

🍋 Optional: Lemon-Herb Yogurt Sauce

Whisk together:

• ½ cup plain yogurt

• 1 tbsp lemon juice

• 1 garlic clove (minced)

• Pinch of za’atar + salt

Dollop or smear onto the plate for added creaminess and spice.

🛍️ Shop the Spices:

• Ras El Hanout

• Sumac

• Turmeric

• Aleppo-Style Chili Blend   -Coming soon 

• Za’atar (for the sauce)

📸 Tag us!

Tried this recipe? Tag @InternationalSpiceDistrict and use #SpiceDistrictEats so we can see your stunning plate!