Brazilian Chicken & Saffron Rice

Preheat the oven to 220°C/ 200°C (fan)/ gas 7

Take your chicken out of the fridge, open the packet and let it air

Boil a kettle

Add your chicken thighs to a bowl with your ground smoked paprika and a pinch of salt and pepper

Give everything a good mix up until the thighs are evenly coated

Heat a large, wide-based pan (preferably non-stick with a matching lid) with a drizzle of vegetable oil over a medium-high heat

Once hot, add the coated chicken thighs, skin-side down, and cook for 10 min or until the skins have browned and crisped

Once crisp, transfer the crispy chicken to a baking tray and set aside (reserve the pan)

While the chicken thighs are cooking, peel and finely dice your brown onion[s]

Peel and finely chop (or grate) your garlic

Roll your lemon[s] with your hand on a hard surface (to release more juice) and cut in half

Return the reserved pan to a medium-high heat and once hot, add the diced onion with a very generous pinch of salt and a pinch of sugar

Cook for 3-4 min or until starting to soften

Once starting to soften, add the chopped garlic with your ground cumin, ground paprika, chilli flakes (can't handle the heat? Go easy!) and tomato paste and cook for 1-2 min further or until fragrant

Once fragrant, add the white long grain rice to the pan and stir until the grains are well coated

Dissolve the chicken stock mix in 250ml [325ml] [425ml] boiled water

Add the juice of half your lemon[s] and your saffron – this is your saffron stock

Add the saffron stock to the pan and give everything a good mix up

Bring to the boil then reduce the heat to low and cook, covered, for 12-15 min or until all the water is absorbed and the rice is cooked through

Once the rice is cooked through, add your garden veg mix to the pan and stir it all together

Remove from the heat and set aside (lid on) to steam until serving – this is your Brazilian saffron rice

Whilst the rice is cooking, put the tray with the chicken in the oven and cook for 12-15 min further or until cooked through (no pink meat!) – this is your smoky crispy chicken

Cut the remaining lemon into 1 wedge per person