Roast Chicken & Spiced Rice

An easy and economical midweek dish that is packed with flavour.

When purchasing curry paste go for simple and clean ingredients like this one which is flavoursome but mild enough for little kids. Avoid curry pastes with seed oils, preservatives and flavours/ flavour enhancers. The most economical option is to make your own and store. You can try this recipe.

Serve this dish with Kachumber salad.

Prep time 15 | Cook time 50m | Servings 4

INGREDIENTS

800ml chicken stock/ broth 4 tbsp mild or medium curry paste (I use Church Farm Indian curry paste) 2 tbsp ghee or butter, plus extra for frying 350g basmati rice 1 cinnamon stick 6-8 chicken thighs, bone-in, skin on 1 onion, halved and sliced 20g toasted almonds 350g green beans handful of coriander leaves kachumber

METHOD

1. Heat the oven to 220C/200C fan. Heat 800ml broth. Remove from heat, mix in half the curry paste and hald the ghee/butter. Pour into a large/ deep baking dish. A dd the rice and stick of cinnamon.
2. Cut a few deep slashes into each chicken thigh, then rub all over with the remaining curry paste and some seasoning. Arrange on top of the rice mixture, then cover the dish or tin with foil and bake for 30 mins.
3. Meanwhile, heat a teaspoon of ghee in a frying pan over a medium heat, and fry the onion for 10-15 mins, or until soft and caramelised.
4. Uncover the chicken and rice. The rice should still be wet, but if not, top up with 50-100ml more water. Scatter over the almonds and bake, uncovered, for 10-15 mins more until the chicken is browned, all the liquid has been absorbed and the rice is cooked through and crisp at the edges. Meanwhile, cook the green beans in boiling water for 2-3 mins, then drain. Scatter the coriander and fried onions over the chicken and rice, spoon a few dollops of chutney over the dish, and serve with the green beans.

Enjoy x

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