Oven Baked Free Range Chicken Thigh Biryani With Yoghurt

Before you begin...

This recipe takes around 5-10 min to prep, so get your casserole dish and all your ingredients ready, then wash your fruit and veg

Note: Make sure your dish is oven-proof and safe to use on the hob. Don't have one? Start cooking in a large, wide-based pan then transfer to an oven-proof dish and cover tightly with foil

Now, let's get started!

Preheat the oven to 220°C/ 200°C (fan)/ gas 7, boil a kettle, then take your chicken out of the fridge, open the packet and let it air

Heat a large, wide-based, hob-safe oven-proof casserole dish with a matching lid, with a drizzle of olive oil over a high heat

Once hot, add your diced chicken to the dish with a pinch of salt and cook for 5-6 min or until very lightly browned

Chop your tomato[es] into wedges

Crush your garlic open by squashing with the side of a knife and remove the skin

Add the tomato wedges, crushed garlic and your butternut squash cubes to the dish

Crush your cardamom pods open by squashing them with the side of a knife

Add the crushed cardamom pods and your ginger paste to the dish with your ground turmeric, curry powder and bay leaf[ves] and give everything a good stir

Sprinkle in your chicken stock mix

Add your basmati rice with 350ml [525ml] [700ml] boiled water and bring to the boil over a high heat

Cover with a lid and put the dish in the oven for 15-20 min or until all the water has absorbed, the rice is cooked and the chicken is cooked through (no pink meat!)

Once the rice is cooked, remove the dish from the oven and set aside for 5 min to steam (keep the lid on!) – this is your oven baked chicken biryani

Meanwhile, slice your green chilli[es] finely