Chicken Pilaf

A great quick one pot dish, measurements are approximate as I use the 'eyeball' method! You can replace the Chicken with Quorn pieces for a vegetarian version.

4 Chicken Breasts

Few lugs Olive Oil

1 tsp Paprika

1 tsp Garlic Granules

1 tsp Oregano

1 tsp ground Black Pepper

1 small dried Chilli, crumbled

2 cloves Garlic, grated

300g Basmati Rice

1/2 can Kidney Beans

1 cup frozen sliced Mixed Peppers

1 cup Sweetcorn

Chicken / Vegetable stock, to cover

Salt, to season

Slice the breasts into small pieces and coat with all herbs and spices. Drizzle on oil and rub to combine, marinade overnight. In a skillet/ non stick pan, saute chicken mix and once coloured add grated garlic. Add beans, peppers and sweetcorn and cook for a few minutes. Tip in rice and add stock so it is just covering the ingredients. Cover with foil and replace lid, turn heat to lowest setting and steam until liquid absorbed (around 15/20 minutes). Do not be tempted to mix about as this will cause dish to go sticky!

Pretty simple but very flavourful. This should serve approximately 4 people.

Red Beans and Rice

I was recently watching an American Diner programme and was inspired by southern cooking style and came up with the following adaption for red beans and rice.

500g Basmati Rice

500g Red Kidney Beans

450g Pork Belly, cubed

1 Onion, finely diced

1 Green Pepper, finely diced

8 Cloves Garlic, crushed

1 heaped teaspoon Dried Thyme

1 heaped teaspoon Cayenne Pepper

1 tablespoon Tabasco / Hot Pepper Sauce

1 teaspoon Ground Black Pepper

1 teaspoon Sea Salt

Soak the Kidney Beans in cold water overnight, discard and that float to top. Boil hard for 1 hour. Meanwhile fry off the Pork Belly cubes until browned and crispy, may be easier to do this in batches. Drain beans once boiled and return to large pot, add all the other ingredients and cover over with cold water. Bring to boil then reduce to a simmer for 3-4 hours until creamy. Once ready, cook basmati rice according to packet instructions and serve the beans over the rice. Mmmmm.... Tasty!

10 Cal Chicken Soup

A little gem retailed by a certain Supermarket who's 90's comeback band's tune is now getting somewhat overplayed! However, it is a great find and whilst I would not use it as a soup.... (it would be like drinking soup water....) I have found it is a great stock and retailed at a fair price. This leads me on to my not so traditional risi e bisi (rice and peas). I always cook way to much rice for dinner and it ends up sitting in the back of my fridge until the starch starts to decompose and it needs the bin...
Then as a somewhat experimental cook I chucked the rice in with the stock (10 Cal Chicken Soup), some peas - preferably Petit Pois, garlic and olive oil (a very loose cheats version of the Italian Classic Risi E Bisi) in a pan and heated through. It resulted in a very comforting and warming dinner and of course very economical. Obviously if you want to go a bit Jamie Oliver-esque add some 'good' extra virgin olive oil and a grating of Parmesan!