Spicy Cajun-Style Chicken Thigh & Pepper Stew

Before you start cooking, 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 matching lid) with a drizzle of vegetable oil over a medium-high heat

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

Meanwhile, peel and finely dice your brown onion[s]

Peel and finely chop (or grate) your garlic

Once the chicken has begun to brown, add the diced onion and chopped garlic to the pan and cook for 3-4 min or until the onion has slightly softened

While the onion is cooking, chop your cherry tomatoes in half

Deseed your pepper[s] (scrape the seeds and pith out with a teaspoon) and chop into rough bite-sized pieces

Boil half a kettle

Once softened, add the halved cherry tomatoes to the pan with your chilli flakes (can't handle the heat? Go easy!), ground cumin, ground coriander, ground smoked paprika and dried oregano

Season with a pinch of salt and cook for 3-4 min or until the tomatoes have begun to break down

Meanwhile, dissolve your vegetable stock mix and tomato paste in 250ml [325ml] [400ml] boiled water – this is your tomato stock

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

Once the tomatoes have softened, add the chopped pepper to the pan with 2 tsp [3 tsp] [4 tsp] flour and stir everything together

Add your tomato stock to the pan with 1 tsp [1 1/2 tsp] [2 tsp] sugar and give everything a good mix up

Cook, covered, for 8-10 min or until the chicken is cooked through (no pink meat!) and the pepper is tender with a bite – this is your spicy Cajun-style chicken thigh & pepper stew