Spicy Nduja Baked Chicken

Crispy rosemary and garlic chicken thighs baked with Calabrian Nduja salami and topped with a vibrant gremolata made with parsley, lemon and garlic. It's an easy chicken dish that's full of flavour and solid served with roast potatoes or grilled veggies.

Nduja is such a versatile ingredient. We often use it in pasta sauces like our Nduja orecchiette for a spicy kick, as a pizza topping or even sprinkled on burrata as an appetiser (we love this, it's a must try).

It's a soft, spicy Calabrian salami that can be spread on bread and enjoyed as it is or cooked. For this recipe, we've spread it on chicken thighs towards the end of cooking (it can burn quickly) then it's topped with zesty gremolata made with parsley, lemon and garlic for freshness.

You should be able to buy Nduja at an Italian food store, or you can buy it online. If you don't use it all, you can freeze it for later and use it in any dishes you like.

Nduja consistency

Although Nduja is soft, we need to loosen it into more of a paste-like consistency to easily spread it over the chicken. To do this, we mash it in a bowl with a fork with around 1 tablespoon of hot water and add more if needed.

Note: if you use Nduja in a jar, then you likely won't need to do this step as it'll already have a much looser consistency.

Serving suggestions

This dish goes well with Italian roast potatoes or any roast or grilled veggies. We love grilled zucchini and peppers alongside this and a simple side salad of arugula, lemon and parmigiano.

More Nduja recipes to try

Breakfast

Nduja Eggs in Purgatory (Eggs In Tomato Sauce)

Pasta

Creamy 'Nduja Pasta with Baby Spinach

Pizza

Nduja Pizza with Burrata, Parmesan and Basil

Fish & Seafood

Scallops with 'Nduja Garlic Butter

Ingredients

Makes 4 servings

• 8 chicken thighs ((1.4kg/3lbs))
• 55 g (2 oz) Nduja salami
• 2 sprigs rosemary
• 4 cloves of garlic
• 1 large handful fresh parsley ((about ½ cup))
• Zest of ½ lemon
• olive oil
• salt

Method

1. Pre-heat the oven to 190℃/375℉ fan or 210℃/410℉ static.

2. Put the chicken in a large roasting tray and season it with salt on both sides. Finely chop the rosemary and sprinkle it over the chicken then add 3 garlic cloves (skins left on). Drizzle the chicken with olive oil and rub it all over. Bake for 35 minutes.

3. Meanwhile, add the Nduja to a bowl and add 1 tablespoon of hot water. Mash the Nduja with a fork until it becomes softer and easier to spread. Add another tablespoon of hot water if needed. NOTE: if you use Nduja from a jar you won't need to do this step, as it'll already be quite loose.

4. Remove the chicken from the oven and spread the Nduja over the skin. Bake in the oven for another 10 minutes. Remove from the oven and let it rest while you make the gremolata.

5. Put the parsley, 1 peeled clove of garlic and the zest of half a lemon on a chopping board and chop it all as finely as possible with a sharp knife. Sprinkle over the chicken and serve.

Kitchen notes

Storage will keep well in the fridge for up to 3 days. Can be reheated in the oven (covered with foil) until hot throughout (180 °C/350°F for 10-15 minutes) or eaten at room temperature.