This isn’t our speediest dish, but it is definitely worth the effort. The vegetables will help support your gut, while the quinoa will provide slow-release energy. Also, it contains saffron, which as we have seen is thought to alleviate anxiety. If you use a bigger cauliflower, you may have leftover cauliflower ‘rice’, which can be steamed and used to accompany many of our recipes. I wish I’d known sooner in my life that cauliflower could be transformed in this way. Tabbouleh is a Middle Eastern vegetarian dish – we have devised our own version here.

– Serves 3-4 –

For the chicken:

1⁄2 teaspoon saffron threads
50ml warm water
8 chicken thighs (skin on) or chicken breasts if you prefer
1 tablespoon olive oil
4 garlic cloves, finely chopped
1 teaspoon paprika
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1⁄2-1 teaspoon chilli powder, to taste

For the tabbouleh:

180g uncooked quinoa
1⁄2 medium cauliflower
1⁄2 cucumber, finely diced
200g cherry tomatoes, finely chopped
1⁄2 red onion, finely diced
Small handful of mint, roughly chopped
Large handful of parsley, roughly chopped
Juice of 1 lemon
4 tablespoons olive oil

1. Preheat the oven to 180°C. Add the saffron to the warm water and let it steep for 10 minutes.

2. Marinate the chicken in the oil, garlic, spices and saffron water for an hour.

3. Place the chicken in a baking dish (don’t worry if there is some watery marinade, the chicken will absorb it as it cooks) and bake it for 30-35 minutes. The skin should be nicely crispy on top but not burnt.

4. Put the quinoa in a large pan with 360ml water (you can add a vegetable stock cube for extra flavour). Bring it to the boil and then turn the heat down and simmer for 8-10 minutes.

5. While the chicken and quinoa are cooking, grate the cauliflower. The quickest way is in a food processor with a grating blade. Otherwise, chop it as finely as possible, or use a grater.

6. When the quinoa has been cooking for 8-10 minutes, place the cauliflower on top to steam. Make sure there is still some water at the bottom of the pan, and add a little if needed. Both should be cooked after 5 minutes.

7. Blend the olive oil, lemon juice and half the herbs in a bowl. Stir through the quinoa and cauliflower, along with the tomatoes, cucumber, red onion and the rest of the herbs. Add an extra drizzle of olive oil if desired, before serving.

Recipe from my book The Happy Kitchen: Good Mood Food

If you give this recipe a try do post a picture on your Instagram stories and tag me or let me know over on Twitter!

Saffron Chicken with Quinoa and Cauliflower Tabbouleh – Good Mood Food