Saffron Chicken

The chicken mariantes overnight (or at least 30 minutes) in a flavourful, well-seasoned marinade of bloomed saffron, yoghurt, garlic, and lemon juice that deliver the perfect combination of acidity, sweetness, and umami - absolutely irresistible. I go for chicken thighs with the skin on and bone in, because they are nearly impossible to overcook and stay incredibly juicy. However, you can use only chicken breasts if you prefer. Adjust the cooking time and oven temperature accordingly.

	Herby Labneh Dip
0.5 g Saffron threads 1 tbsp Warm water 180 g Greek yoghurt 2-3 Garlic cloves, peeled and minced Juice of 1 lemon ½-¾ tsp Sea salt ½ tsp Freshly milled black pepper 1.2-1.5 kg Chicken thighs 3 tbsp Butter, melted 1 tbsp Chopped parsley Lemon wedges	200 g Labneh (or Greek yoghurt) 15 g Mint leaves 10 g Parsley, stems removed and packed 1 Jalapeño or habanero, deseeded 1 tbsp Olive oil 1 Garlic clove Pinch of sea salt

In a large bowl, combine the saffron threads with warm water. Let it stand for 5 minutes to bloom the saffron so it releases its gorgeous golden colour.
Add in the yoghurt, minced garlic, lemon juice, salt, and pepper, and mix until combined. Add the chicken thighs and mix very well, until all the chicken thighs are well coated. Cover and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes, or overnight, if possible.
Half an hour before cooking, bring the chicken to room temperature. Preheat oven to 220C/430F.
Place the marinated chicken thighs in a large baking tray and spoon the melted butter over. Bake for 30-35 minutes until golden brown.
For the dip, add all of the ingredients to the bowl of a food processor and blend for together. Taste, add a bit more sea salt if needed.
Garnish the chicken with chopped parsley and serve with lemon wedges and labneh dip.