Peri-Peri Chicken x Chow Mein

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

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

Once hot, add the chicken thighs, skin-side down and cook for 8 min or until the skins have slightly crisped

Meanwhile, peel and chop the brown onion[s] into thick slices

Top, tail and slice the carrot[s] finely on the diagonal, then slice each carrot disc into matchsticks

Once the skin has slightly crisped, transfer the browned chicken to a baking paper-lined tray (reserve the pan) and sprinkle over half the smoked paprika, the dried oregano, 1 tsp [2 tsp] sugar, a pinch of salt and a drizzle of vegetable oil

Give everything a good mix up until well coated

Put the tray in the oven and cook for 15-20 min or until cooked through and slightly charred (no pink meat!) – this is your crispy chicken

Return the reserved pan to a medium heat and once hot, add the sliced onion and carrot matchsticks to the pan with a small splash of cold water

Cook for 10 min or until the onion has softened and the carrot is tender

Meanwhile, boil a kettle

Trim, then chop the spring onion[s] into large pieces

Peel and finely chop (or grate) the garlic

Cut half the red chilli[es] in half lengthways, deseed (scrape the seeds out with a teaspoon) and chop finely

Slice the remaining red chilli finely

Add the medium egg noodles to a pot and cover them with boiled water until fully submerged

Bring to the boil over a high heat and cook for 5-6 min or until cooked with a slight bite

Once done, drain and set aside

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

Combine the tomato paste and chipotle paste (can't handle the heat? Go easy!) with 100ml [175ml] cold water

Add the soy sauce, the juice of 1/2 [1] lemon and the white wine vinegar – this is your peri-peri sauce

Once the onion is softened, add the chopped garlic and the remaining smoked paprika to the pan with the chopped chilli (not a fan of spice? Just add a little!) and the chopped spring onion and cook for 1 min or until fragrant

Once fragrant, add the peri-peri sauce and cook for 3 min or until thickened

Once thickened, add the cooked noodles and mix everything together – this is your peri-peri chow mein