Crispy Chicken With Sicilian-Style Olive & Fennel Sauce

Take your chicken out of the fridge and open the packet to let it breathe before cooking

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

Chop the potatoes (skins on) into small, bite-sized pieces

Add the chopped potatoes to one side of a tin foil-lined baking tray with a drizzle of vegetable oil, a pinch of salt and a few generous grinds of black pepper

Give everything a good mix up and put the tray in the oven for an initial 15 min or until the potatoes are starting to brown

Tip: Cooking for 4? Use 2 trays!

Boil half a kettle

Heat a large, dry, wide-based pan (preferably non-stick) over a medium-high heat

Pat the chicken thighs dry with kitchen paper and season them on both sides with salt and pepper

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

While the chicken is cooking, deseed the red pepper[s] (scrape the seeds and pith out with a teaspoon) and dice

Chop the tomatoes roughly

Peel and finely slice (don't chop!) the garlic

Chop the black olives roughly

Once the chicken skin has crisped, turn the chicken thighs over and cook for 1 min further

Remove the potatoes from the oven and transfer the crispy thighs to the other side of the baking tray (skin side up), reserving the pan

Return the tray to the oven for 10-12 min further or until cooked through (no pink meat!) – this is your crispy chicken

Chop the parsley finely, including the stalks

Return the reserved pan to a medium-high heat

Add the diced pepper and cook for 1-2 min or until starting to soften

Tip: Add a drizzle of olive oil if it's looking a little dry!

Once starting to soften, add the fennel seeds, sliced garlic, chilli flakes, (can't handle the heat? Go easy!) chopped tomato, chopped olives, capers and a pinch of salt and cook for 3-4 min or until the tomatoes are starting to break down

Meanwhile, dissolve the chicken stock mix, tomato paste and 1/2 tsp [1 tsp] sugar in 75ml [150ml] boiled water

Once the tomatoes have begun to break down, add the red wine vinegar to the pan and cook for 1-2 min or until the liquid has evaporated

Add the tomato stock and cook for 1-2 min further or until the sauce has thickened and everything is softened – this is your Sicilian-style olive & fennel sauce