West African-Style Spicy Rice With Smoky Chicken Thigh

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

Top, tail, peel and dice your carrot[s] finely, deseed your pepper[s] (scrape the seeds and pith out with a teaspoon) and dice

Peel and finely dice your brown onion[s], then peel and finely chop (or grate) your garlic

Add your chicken thighs to a bowl with your ground smoked paprika and dried oregano

Season with a pinch of salt and pepper and give everything a good mix up – these are your smoky chicken thighs

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

Once hot, add the smoky chicken thighs and cook for 3 min on each side or until lightly charred

Transfer the charred chicken to a tin foil-lined baking tray (or two!) and put the tray[s] in the oven for 10 min or until cooked through (no pink meat!), reserve the pan

Return the reserved pan to a medium heat with a little drizzle of vegetable oil

Once hot, add the diced onion with a generous pinch of salt and cook for 2-3 min until starting to soften

Whilst the onion is softening, cut your green chilli[es] in half

Cut half lengthways, deseed (scrape the seeds out with a teaspoon) and chop finely, then slice the remaining chilli into rounds

Dissolve your chicken stock mix in 300ml [450ml] [600ml] boiled water

Once the onion has slightly softened, add the chopped garlic and chopped chilli (can't handle the heat? Go easy!) with your ground turmeric and curry powder to the pan and cook for 1 min until fragrant

Once fragrant, add the diced carrot and cook for 2-3 min or until slightly softened

Add the diced pepper, white long grain rice and bay leaf[ves] to the pan with the chicken stock and bring to the boil over a high heat

Once boiling, reduce the heat to low and cook, covered, for 12-15 min or until all the water has absorbed and the rice is cooked

Once the rice is cooked, gently stir in your blanched peas and cook for 1 min or until they're warmed through – this is your West African-style spicy rice