BBC Good Food Middle East February 2023

30-minute chicken curry

Fajita chicken one-pot

Inspired by a clever Rukmini Iyer traybake, this one-pot makes the most of a classic combination – chicken and chorizo.

Samuel Goldsmith

SERVES 4-6 PREP 15 mins

COOK 45 mins EASY

2 tsp olive oil

200g cooking chorizo, roughly chopped

6 boneless and skinless chicken thighs, roughly chopped

2 red onions, roughly chopped

2 romano peppers, roughly chopped

1½ tbsp fajita seasoning

400g can pinto beans, drained and rinsed

350g new potatoes, halved, or quartered if large

300ml chicken stock, made with 1 stock cube

3 corn on the cobs, halved or quartered 100g soured cream, to serve handful of parsley, chopped, to serve (optional)

1 Heat the oil in a large, lidded, heavy-based saucepan over a medium heat and fry the chorizo for 4 mins to release the oils and brown it a little. Remove to a plate using a slotted spoon and set aside Fry the chicken for 5-6 mins until browned but not cooked all the way through. You may need to do this in batches. Remove with the slotted spoon and set aside with the chorizo.

2 Add the onions and peppers to the pan and cook, stirring often for 6-8 mins until softened and starting to lightly brown. Use a wooden spoon to scrape up any caramelised bits on the bottom and mix them in. Stir in the fajita seasoning and cook for 30 seconds

30-minute chicken curry

Here’s a delicious curry that always delivers on flavour and is surprisingly easy to make. The spices are storecupboard staples, the technique simple, and it takes less than 10 mins to prepare.

Chetna Makan

SERVES 4 PREP 8 mins

COOK 20-22 mins EASY

2 tbsp rapeseed or sunflower oil

4 garlic cloves, finely grated

2 green chillies, 1 finely chopped,

1 sliced to serve (optional)

350g passata

1 tsp garam masala

1 tsp ground coriander

½ tsp ground turmeric

½ tsp chilli powder

½ tsp honey

1 tbsp dried fenugreek leaves

2 tbsp double cream small handful of coriander, leaves picked, to serve cooked rice, to serve

For the chicken

150g natural yogurt

½ tsp garam masala

½ tsp ground turmeric

½ tsp chilli powder

½ tsp ground coriander

6 boneless and skinless chicken thighs, cut into 2.5cm pieces

1 Heat the oil in a large, lidded saucepan over a medium-high heat, then add the garlic and chopped green chilli. Once these start to sizzle, pour in the passata, then cover and cook over a medium heat for 8 mins. Meanwhile, prepare the chicken. Put the yogurt, all the spices and 1/2 tsp salt in a bowl, and mix well. Add the chicken and mix until well coated Set aside and keep covered until needed, or marinate for up to 24 hrs, if you have time before returning the chorizo and chicken to the pan.

3 Season with salt and freshly ground black pepper and give everything a good stir. Tip in the pinto beans and potatoes, stir to coat well, then pour in the stock, topping up with water if it doesn’t cover the chicken and veg. Bring to a simmer, reduce the heat a little and put the lid on. Simmer gently for 10 mins. Give everything a stir, then sit the corn on the cobs on top.

4 Return the lid to the pan and cook for a further 15 mins. Serve in large bowls, each topped with a spoonful of soured cream and a scattering of chopped parsley, if you like.

GOOD TO KNOW low cal • fibre • vit c

• 2 of 5-a-day

PER SERVING (6) 394 kcals

• saturates 6g • carbs 27g

• fibre 9g

• protein 27g

• fat 18g

• sugars 8g

• salt 2.4g

2 Once the passata is cooked, stir in the spices along with 100ml boiling water from the kettle. Scrape the excess marinade off the chicken and into the pan, then add the chicken, cover and cook over a medium heat for 10-12 mins until cooked through Add the honey and fenugreek, and mix well. To serve, drizzle with the cream, sprinkle over the coriander leaves and the sliced green chilli, if using Serve with cooked rice.

GOOD TO KNOW 1 of 5-a-day • gluten free

PER SERVING 315 kcals • fat 21g • saturates 8g

9g

Sticky roasted plum & star anise chicken

When gently spiced, tender chicken pairs well with a sweet, sticky sauce. As an all-in-one dish, this recipe is easy to prepare and brings warmth to a chilly evening.

Ailsa Burt

SERVES 4 PREP 15 mins COOK 30-35 mins EASY

6 boneless and skinless chicken thighs

1 tbsp sunflower oil

½ tsp ground allspice

6 plums, halved and stoned

3 shallots, peeled and halved

2 tbsp soy sauce

1 tbsp honey

1 cinnamon stick

2 star anise

100ml chicken stock sticky rice and steamed pak choi, to serve (optional)

1 Heat the oven to 200C/180C fan/ gas 6. Combine the chicken thighs, sunflower oil and allspice in a large roasting tin and season well. Stir in the plums, shallots, soy sauce, honey, cinnamon and star anise, and toss well to combine.

2 Pour in the stock and put in the oven for 30-35 mins, stirring a couple of times until sticky and caramelised. Add a splash more chicken stock if it starts to stick and dry out too much. Spoon any roasting juices over the chicken before serving. Serve with sticky rice and pak choi, if you like