This spicy chicken and baked rice dish, referred to as “midweek” fare, is versatile enough to be enjoyed any day of the week. Featuring succulent, seasoned chicken paired with fluffy baked rice, this recipe offers a delightful alternative to takeout, encouraging you to explore your pantry instead. Additionally, the recipe includes aromatic fishcakes with a pleasing, bouncy texture, ideal for stocking your freezer. Ready in just about ten minutes from frozen, these fishcakes are perfect for satisfying cravings during a hectic work-from-home day.
Preparation Time: 10 minutes
Marination Time: 1 hour
Cooking Time: 45 minutes
Servings: 8
Ingredients:
– 200g Greek yogurt
– Zest and juice of 1 lemon
– 50g harissa paste
– 1 tablespoon garlic granules
– 1 tablespoon dried oregano
– 2 teaspoons ground turmeric
– 1 tablespoon ras el hanout
– 2 teaspoons ground coriander
– 2 teaspoons ground cumin
– Salt and pepper, to taste
– 16 skinless, boneless chicken thighs
– Olive oil
– 3 red onions, peeled and cut into large pieces
– 2 red bell peppers, deseeded and cut into large pieces
– 4 garlic cloves, peeled and minced
– 2 tablespoons tomato purée
– 400g basmati rice
– 1 can (400g) crushed tomatoes
– 800ml chicken stock
Optional Serving Suggestions:
– Sliced or pickled red onion
– Crumbled feta cheese
– Fresh flat-leaf parsley leaves
In a mixing bowl, blend the yogurt, lemon zest and juice, harissa, garlic granules, oregano, turmeric, ras el hanout, coriander, and cumin, seasoning generously with salt and pepper. Add the chicken thighs, ensuring they are thoroughly coated with the marinade, and let them rest in the refrigerator for at least one hour.
Preheat the oven to 200°C (180°C fan)/390°F/gas mark 6. In an oven-safe sauté pan, heat a splash of olive oil over high heat. Add the onions and peppers, frying them for two to three minutes until they begin to brown. Incorporate the minced garlic and sauté for an additional minute until fragrant.
Reduce the heat to medium and mix in the tomato purée, cooking for one minute until the mixture darkens. Season it well, then add the rice and toast it for a minute. Pour in the crushed tomatoes and chicken stock, bringing the mixture to a gentle simmer.
Place the marinated chicken thighs on top of the rice, ensuring that half of each thigh is above the liquid level. Transfer the pot to the oven and bake for 30 minutes, or until the chicken is slightly charred and cooked through, and the rice is tender. Serve immediately, hot, with optional pickled red onion, feta, and parsley.
For later use, freeze in an airtight container for up to three months. To reheat from frozen, set the oven to 190°C (170°C fan)/375°F/gas mark 5 and bake for 45–50 minutes until thoroughly heated. Alternatively, defrost in the refrigerator overnight, then reheat at 200°C (180°C fan)/390°F/gas mark 6 for 25–30 minutes until heated through.
Preparation Time: 5 minutes
Chill Time: 1 hour
Cooking Time: 15 minutes
Servings: 8
Ingredients:
– 500g skinless, boneless cod or haddock
– 200g raw shelled king prawns
– 3 tablespoons green Thai curry paste
– 2 stalks lemongrass, bashed and roughly chopped
– 50g fresh ginger, peeled and roughly chopped
– 4 garlic cloves, peeled
– 1–2 tablespoons fish sauce, to taste
– 2 teaspoons palm sugar
– 1 tablespoon light soy sauce
– 2 eggs
– Approximately 200g cornflour
– Olive oil
Optional Serving Suggestions:
– Sweet chili sauce
– Pickled vegetables
– Cooked rice noodles
– Thai basil and mint leaves
– Lime wedges
Combine the fish, prawns, curry paste, lemongrass, ginger, garlic, fish sauce, palm sugar, and soy sauce in a food processor. Add the eggs and blend until smooth. Transfer the mixture to a bowl and add enough cornflour to create a wet dough (you may not need all the cornflour, so add it gradually).
Wet your hands to prevent sticking, then divide the mixture into 16 equal portions of about 70g each. Shape these portions into patties about 2cm thick and arrange them on a well-oiled baking tray. Refrigerate for at least one hour to allow them to firm up.
In a frying pan, heat a little olive oil over medium heat. Cook the fishcakes in batches, frying for three to four minutes on each side until they are golden and cooked through. Serve with sweet chili sauce, rice noodles, fresh herbs, and lime, if desired.
To prepare for later, freeze the uncooked fishcakes on a tray until solid, then transfer them to an airtight container and store for up to three months. To cook from frozen, heat olive oil in a frying pan over medium-low heat and fry the fishcakes in batches for about five to six minutes on each side, turning carefully until they are fully cooked, hot, and golden.
These recipes are taken from “Poppy Cooks: The Actually Delicious Batch Cookbook” by Poppy O’Toole, published by Bloomsbury Publishing at £22. You can order a copy for £19.80 at guardianbookshop.com.
