Peruvian-Style Free Range Chicken, Chickpea Salad And Rice

Preheat the oven to 220°C/ 200°C (fan)/ gas 7 and take your chicken out of the fridge, open the packet and let it air, then peel and finely chop (or grate) the garlic

Add your free range chicken thighs to a bowl with the ground smoked paprika, ground cumin and half the chopped garlic (you'll use the rest later!)

Add a drizzle of olive oil and a pinch of salt and pepper and mix to combine – this is your Peruvian-style free range chicken

Cut your pepper[s] in half (scrape the seeds and pith out with a teaspoon)

Add the Peruvian-style chicken to one side of a tin foil-lined baking tray and add the halved pepper to the other side

Add a drizzle of olive oil, season with a pinch of salt and pepper and put the tray in the oven for an initial 12 min

Tip: Cooking for 4? Use 2 trays!

While the chicken is cooking, add your white long grain rice and 225ml [300ml] [450ml] 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 12-15 min or until all the water has absorbed and the rice is cooked

Once cooked, transfer the cooked rice to a plate and reserve the pot

Peel and finely slice your shallot[s], add them to a large bowl with the white wine vinegar and 1 tsp [1 1/2 tsp] [2 tsp] sugar – this is your quick-pickled shallot

Chop your tomato[es] finely

Strip your mint leaves from their stems (discard the stems!) and chop the leaves roughly

Chop your coriander finely, including the stalks (reserve a few leaves for garnish)

Drain and rinse your chickpeas and cut your red chilli[es] in half lengthways, deseed (scrape the seeds out with a teaspoon) and chop finely

Add the chopped tomato to the quick-pickled shallot with the drained chickpeas, chopped herbs and half of the chopped chilli (can't handle the heat? Go easy!)

Season with a generous pinch of salt and pepper – this is your chickpea salad

Once the chicken and pepper have been in the oven for 12 min, remove the pepper from the tray[s], then return the tray[s] to the oven for a further 5-6 min or until the chicken is cooked through (no pink meat!)

Add the roasted pepper and remaining chopped chilli (not a fan of spice? Just add a little!) to a food processor and blitz until smooth

Add your mayo and a pinch of salt and pepper and continue to blitz until fully combined – this is your aji amarillo-style sauce

Return the reserved pot to a medium-low heat with a small knob of butter, the remaining chopped garlic and a pinch of salt and cook for 1-2 min or until fragrant

Return the cooked rice to the pot and cook for 1 min further – this is your garlic butter rice