Yogurt and Sesame Marinated Chicken with Tomato, Walnut and Pomegranate Salad

How to prepare yogurt and sesame marinated chicken with tomato, walnut and pomegranate salad

1. The thighs can be left whole, but I cut them into 4 pieces so they cook faster. Mix the meat pieces with the rest of the ingredients except the sesame and (ideally) let them marinate in the refrigerator for a few hours or overnight. However, if you're in a hurry, you can leave them for just 15 minutes at room temperature while the oven heats up - they'll turn out very well this way too.
2. Arrange the thighs in a baking tray that holds them in a single layer, not too crowded. Try to arrange them with the side where the skin was facing up. Sprinkle with sesame seeds.
3. Bake at 200°C for 30 minutes (top and bottom heat). After 20 minutes, brush them with the juices that have collected in the tray. If they're not nicely browned by the end of the cooking time, you can switch the oven to a browning setting if you have one, or a few minutes on the grill setting (if you turn on the grill, don't take your eyes off them so the sesame doesn't burn).
   * if you leave the thighs whole, increase the cooking time to 40-45 minutes
4. While the thighs are cooking, prepare the salad. Cut the onion in half and then into thin strips. Sprinkle with a little salt, massage with your hand to separate the slices, and let them sit for 10 minutes to soften. After this time, add the lemon juice and let it sit for another 5 minutes.
5. Chop the walnut kernels with a knife. Finely chop the herbs (mint and parsley).
7. In a large bowl, cut the tomatoes into quarters (or in half if using cherry tomatoes). Sprinkle with salt and mix.
8. When the onion is marinated, add the olive oil, pomegranate molasses, and cinnamon and mix. Add the chopped herbs and walnuts.
9. Arrange the tomatoes on a platter and scatter the onion with herbs and walnuts on top. Mix gently. Sprinkle pomegranate seeds all over. Arrange the baked thighs alongside.
   * the salad looks best right after it's prepared, but if you have ripe but not too soft tomatoes, it will hold well for a few hours
   ** if you want a side dish, prepare 1/2 cup of couscous

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