Ingredients

• 8 skinless and boneless chicken thigh fillets
• 75ml/2½fl oz medium–hot peri peri sauce
• ½ tsp hot smoked paprika
• sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

For the dirty rice

• 1 tsp olive oil
• 1 red onion, finely chopped
• 1 red pepper, halved, cored, seeds removed and finely chopped
• 1 green pepper, halved, cored, seeds removed and finely chopped
• 2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
• 1 tsp paprika
• 1 tsp ground cumin
• large pinch saffron strands
• 200ml/7fl oz chicken stock
• 1 chicken stock cube, crumbled
• 500g/1lb 2oz cooked brown rice (freshly cooked and drained or 2 pouches)

For the coleslaw

• 250g/9oz red and/or white cabbage, finely shredded
• 1 carrot, grated (about 100g/3½oz prepared weight)
• 2 tbsp fat-free Greek-style yoghurt
• 2 tbsp white wine vinegar
• 3 tbsp light mayonnaise
• salt and freshly ground black pepper

Method

1. Preheat the oven to 240C/220C Fan/Gas 9. Line a baking tray with an ovenproof silicone mat or baking paper.
2. Slash the chicken thighs with a sharp knife and put in a bowl. Add 50ml/2fl oz of the peri-peri sauce, the smoked paprika and a little sea salt and pepper. Turn the chicken to coat well in the sauce then lay on the baking tray and cook for 20–25 minutes.
3. Meanwhile, to make the dirty rice. Heat the oil in a sauté pan over a high heat. Add the onion and cook for 4–5 minutes until starting to brown. Add the peppers and garlic and cook for 2 minutes. Add the paprika and cumin and cook for 1 minute. Grind the saffron with a pestle and mortar and add to the pan with the stock and stock cube. Simmer for 2–3 minutes, stirring, until the stock cube has disolved. Add the rice and warm through for 5 minutes.
4. To make the coleslaw, mix all the ingredients together in a bowl and season with salt and pepper.
5. Remove the chicken from the oven, tip the juices from the tray into the rice and stir through. Cook the rice for a further 2 minutes. Wave a cook’s blowtorch over the surface of the chicken thighs to lightly char, then brush with the remaining peri-peri sauce.
6. Serve the chicken with the rice and coleslaw on the side.