Spicy Chicken & Sides

We love chicken in our house, but this year we've made a pact to not get take away and cut down on eating out to try and save some money. I also love cooking for my friends and family, so making sharing dinners is a lovely thing. The main element in this, is the succulent, spicy chicken. Then I've knocked up some super simple sides to get you started, you can adapt them how you want. A quick rocket and spicy sweet potato salad, with fruity cauliflower rice. Load it up in to pittas with some halloumi, add a spicy or garlic mayo, heap on some avocado, corn on the cob with heaps of butter. Just get stuck in, save the left overs for later, how amazing would it be for work? Just don't forget that squeeze of lime, it pulls it all together.

The rub for the chicken is made in a batch that you can pop in your cupboard and save for later, rub it in to wings, add it in to casseroles, rub it in to fish to make tacos, it's versatile. It will need a lot from your store cupboard, but hopefully you have a lot of the spices already and if you don't, think of how many tubs of spicy rub you can make all year. It's worth it, promise.

*Store in an airtight container, in a cupboard.

Ingredients

Spice rub, makes a batch. Use 3 tblsp

• 1 tblsp onion powder/granules
• 1 & a half tblsp garlic powder
• 1 tblsp ginger
• 1 tblsp of thyme
• Half tsp white pepper
• 2 tsp cinnamon
• 2 tsp all spice
• 1 tblsp smoked paprika
• 2 tsp nutmeg
• 2 tsp cayenne pepper
• 1 tsp chilli flakes
• 2 tsp parsley
• 2 tsp black pepper
• 2 tsp salt
• 1 tsp cumin

*You will also need a few limes and some fresh chillies

Directions

1. Mix all dried herbs and spices together and put in a sterilised air tight container.
2. Generously rub olive oil in to the skin of your chicken, then rub 3 tablespoons of your spicy rub in to the skin.
3. Cover your chicken in cling film and leave in the fridge for minimum 1 hour, but over night if you can.
4. Cook your chicken for 1 and a half hours on 190 fan/210c/gas mark 6.

Ingredients: Cauliflower Rice, serves 3

• 1 whole cauliflower
• 1 red pepper
• 1 shallot
• 3 tsp butter
• Bunch of coriander
• sea salt and pepper
• 2 garlic cloves
• Half or 1 whole mango

1. Remove bottom of stalk from cauliflower, break up in to florets, then pulse in a blender in small batches until it forms a 'rice'.
2. Chop red pepper in to small pieces, finely chop garlic, finely chop shallot.
3. Add cauliflower, red pepper, shallot and garlic to a pan with the butter. Cook until everything has softened (about 7 minutes).
4. Roughly chop coriander and chop mango in to small cubes, mix both in to your cauliflower mixture.

[ingredients title="Sweet Potato Salad, serves 3"]

• 3 small sweet potatoes
• Bag of rocket
• 1/2 a large red onion or 1 small
• 1 tsp smoked paprika
• Olive Oil
• Sea salt

[/ingredients][directions title="Directions"]

1. Spiralize your sweet potatoes, leaving the skin on. If you don't have a spiralizer, simply use a speed peeler to create ribbons.
2. Thoroughly coat your sweet potato with 1 and a half tsp of olive oil and 1 tsp of smoked paprika.
3. Roast in the oven for 10 minutes until crispy.
4. Mix sweet potato with rocket and chopped red onion.

[/directions][directions title="Meal Assembly, serves 3"]

1. Serve your chicken whole and top with lots of chopped chilli.
2. Cut up a few limes, squeeze juice over chicken and sides, tuck in.

[/directions]