French-Style Mustard & Garlic Chicken Thigh With Basmati Rice

Before you begin...

Get all your ingredients and equipment ready

Skim through these steps, then wash your fruit and veg

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

Note: Equipment and pan sizes vary. Make sure you cook food thoroughly (even if it takes you a little longer than 10 min)

Now, let's get started!

Boil a kettle

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

Once hot, add the diced chicken with a pinch of salt and cook for 4-5 min or until starting to brown

Add your basmati rice and 300ml [390ml] [600ml] cold water to a pot with a lid and bring to the boil over a high heat

Once boiling, reduce the heat to very low and cook, covered, for 10-12 min or until all the water has absorbed and the rice is cooked

Once cooked, remove from the heat and keep covered until serving

Meanwhile, dissolve your chicken stock mix and cornflour in 100ml [130ml] [170ml] boiled water, with your wholegrain mustard (not a mustard fan? Go easy!) and clotted cream – this is your creamy stock

Wash your spinach then add to a colander and pour boiled water all over it so that it starts to wilt

Rinse the wilted spinach under cold running water until it's cool

Once cool, squeeze as much water out of the spinach as you can

Drain and rinse your green lentils

Once the chicken has browned, add your dried thyme (not a fan of thyme? Just add a little!) and roasted garlic paste to the pan and cook for 30 secs or until fragrant

Once fragrant, add the creamy stock to the pan and bring to the boil

Season with a very generous grind of black pepper and cook for 3-4 min or until thickened

Once the chicken has browned, add your dried thyme (not a fan of thyme? Just add a little!) and roasted garlic paste to the pan and cook for 30 secs or until fragrant

Once fragrant, add the creamy stock to the pan and bring to the boil

Season with a very generous grind of black pepper and cook for 3-4 min or until thickened

Once the sauce has thickened, add the drained lentils and spinach to the pan

Season with a generous pinch of salt and cook for a further 3 min or until the chicken is cooked through (no pink meat!) – this is your French-style mustard & garlic chicken