Chicken Shwarma

You know when you're craving a take away but feel the full on guilt for indulging in a greasy no good for you kebab - this is my simple and much healthier version of a shwarma - a kebab marinated in Middle Eastern / Asian spices and traditionally roasted on a spit.

My version is much simpler - done in the oven - but with all warming spices and juiciness of the chicken thighs.

I served mine on naans with a full salad and condiments on the side. You can always switch it up and serve in pitta breads or even just a full salad to make it healthier and lighter.

you can find my easy peasy naan recipe here 

My shwarma recipe will feed 4-6 people if using naans or 6-8 if you're using pitta pockets. You'll need the following :

1kg boneless chicken thighs - cut into chunks

1 tsp onion salt

2 tbsp cornflour

1 1/2 tsp garam masala

1 tsp cinnamon

1/4 tsp ground star anise

2 tsp smoked paprika

1 tsp tumeric

1/2 tsp chilli powder

1/2 tsp cayenne pepper

1 tbsp harissa paste/powder

3-4 tbsp olive oil

small handful of fresh coriander chopped 

• Start by mixing all the dry ingredients into a bowl, add in the oil and stir together to make a paste.
• Add in the chicken along with the harissa and mix together until all the chicken is coated fully
• leave to marinate for at least 30 minutes - you can even prep this the night before as this will help the marinade absorb fully into the chicken,
• Once ready to cook, preheat your oven to 160c fan/180c. 
• Take a long piece of foil and with the longest side facing you, place the chicken onto the foil, forming a sausage shape, ensuring the chickenn is packed together nice and tightly.
• Roll the chicken up tightly, forming a sausage shape - again ensuring its packed together nicely, place onto a baking tray seam side down
• Place in the oven for 40-45 mins
• Remove from the oven and let it cool a little  - you don't want the hot steam burning you or any of the juices to spit out. The foil will help in keeping it nice and warm
• Place carefully onto a serving board/plate, open the foil up, carve the shwarma and serve as desired 

Chicken Tikka Masala

This is probably the most asked for dish amongst my friends and even a few family members. It is a curry classic, and an ultimate crowd pleaser with the combination of richness & subtle heat.

I have lost count the amount of times I've made it, and completely forgotten to note the steps down and end up mentally kicking myself because I know as soon as i mention it to anyone there will be that 1 person that wants the recipe.

FINALLY I remebered to write it all down so here you have it... There are so many recipes out there, anyone that's ever made a tikka has their own spin on it and mine obviously has my own little twists for example mine isn't the traditional bright red colour you'd get if you were to order it from a takeaway but it doesn't affect the overall flavour of the dish at all

I've used low fat ingredients for anyone that's a bit concious of overdosing in full fatness.. but if you're  treating yourself or just dont mind a few extra calories then just do the whole hog and use full fat stuff

To serve 4-6 people you will need

1kg boneless chicken thigh meat
4 meduim onions chopped
3 tsp garlic puree
3 tsp ginger puree
1 1/2 tsp salt
4 green chillies
1 tsp hot curry powder/ 1 1/2 medium curry powder
2 tins chopped tomato
200ml single cream/ double cream
150ml creme fraiche
50 ml fat free yoghurt/ full fat yoghurt
2 tbsp tomato puree
1 tbsp caster sugar
3 tsp cumin seeds
Red food coloring ( optional )


Marinade for the chicken:
7-8 tbsp tandoori masala
2 tbsp tomato puree
4-6 tbsp olive oil
4 tbsp fat free yoghurt/ full fat yoghurt


• Start by putting all the marinade ingredients in a bowl, stir together till its all combined well. Add in all the chicken and again mix everything together until all the chicken peices are fully coated. Set aside to marinate*

•  In a heavy based pan, on a medium heat saute your onions, garlic and ginger in a little oil until soft and beginning to turn a dark golden colour. Add in the salt, cumin seeds and green chillies. Cook until the chillies begin to slightly soften

• Preheat your oven to 200c (fan) and cook the marinated chicken for 35-40 mins or until cooked through and the outside of the chicken just begins to crisp up - I let mine char very slightly. Once cooked,  set aside.

• Add in the curry powder, tomato puree, sugar and tinned tomatoes to the cooked onion base, simmer on a medium heat to cook the curry powder through, then using a hand blender,  blend the mixture to a smooth sauce.**

• Once you have a smooth sauce, add in the cream, creme fraiche, yogurt and red food colouring*** if using. Stir everything through.

• Add in the chicken, stir through then leave to simmer on a low heat for 10-15 minutes or until the curry sauce is to your desired thickness. Serve with rice or naan







* For marinating, I marinate my chicken the night before. If you're in abit of a rush then marinate at least  for an hour before you start on the curry sauce

** If  you dont have a hand blender  you could use a masher or even a freestanding blender - i have used my nutri ninja blender in the past 

*** For the red food colouring you can add as little or as much as you like. I personally havent used it yet but it really wont affect the dishes flavour without it 

Chicken tonight

For a quick but taste bud satisfying mid week meal, this chow mein is a winner. It's slighty sweet, with a hint of spice and a delicious crunch of the mixed vegetables and a hit of protein with the chicken.


The best thing about this is you can swap the veg elements around, for example I've often added in some sugar snap peas, sliced tenderstem broccoli or even baby corn on the cob. If your a vegetarian or vegan, just bulk up on the veg


This will serve 4-6 people easily, you'll need the following

1kg chicken thighs - off the bone sliced up
4 tbsp runny honey
4 tbsp wholegrain mustard
4 cloves garlic crushed
2cm peice ginger crushed
4 tbsps soy sauce
3 tbsp siracha sauce
2 meduim onions sliced
800g cooked egg noodles
600g mixed stir fry vegetables
50g salted peanuts roughly chopped
Lime wedges to serve

• Put the chicken in a bowl along with the honey, mustard, soy sauce, siracha sauce, garlic, ginger and salt. Set aside to marinate.
• Place a non stick pan on to a high heat, add a little oil, and when its fairly hot add in the onions.
• When they are golden brown and crisp, add in the chicken with all the marinade and cook through fully through
• When the chicken is fully cooked, add in all your veg, lower the heat slightly and cook for about 5-8 minutes - the vegetables should still have a slight bite. 
• Add in the noodles, stir through ensuring everything is incorporated  evenly, and the noodles have heated through.
• Take off the heat, sprinkle the peanuts and serve - serve with prawn crackers and sweet chilli sauce along with the lime wedges

Peri peri chicken stir fry

This is a really quick dish that really requires minimum effort but is full on flavour with the seasoning & seriously filling with the addition of pre preppared stir fry veg & noodles. You can serve this as a main which will on it's own or as a side. My kids love it with prawn crackers & a good drizzle of sweet chilli sauce

For the peri peri seasoning that is listed in the ingredients, i buy mine from my local Asian grocery store, the brand is by a company called east end, as it's got a bit of a kick to it. Alternatively you can use the Nando's version which is readily available in most of the large supermarkets.

To serve 4 -6 people you will need

1 kg chicken breast/ thigh meat cut into strips
250g lemon peri peri seasoning
1 large pack stir fry vegetables
1 tsp cayenne pepper
1 tsp chilli flakes ( if your your using the nando's seasoning )
1/4 tsp salt
1 250g pack pre cooked egg noodles
Juice 1/2 lemon
1 tsp garlic paste/3 cloves crushed
1 tsp ginger paste/ small fresh peice crushed or finely grated

• In a bowl, start by mixing together the chicken, peri peri seasoning, cayenne pepper, chilli flakes, salt & the lemon juice. If you can, marinate this the night before for maximum flavour, if not, leave to marinate for at least an hour.

• In a large pan heat up a little oil, add in the garlic & ginger and cook on a medium heat until they turn a light golden brown colour.

• Add in the chicken peices and cook on a high heat till the chicken is fully cooked through and begins to slightly break down.

• Add in your stir fry veg, turn up the heat to almost full and stir fry everything together till the vegetables are cooked but have a slight bite to them

• Add in the noodles, stir them through until they are heated all the way through, as the noodles are cooked, heating them should only take a couple of minutes.

• Once the noodles have warmed through, serve immediately

My ' kinda but not really ' chicken parmgianno with cous cous

Have you ever wanted to cook a certain dish but you don't have every single component of the dish but you still go ahead with it anyway ?

That's exactly what happened with this recipe, I was really craving chicken parmgianno but didn't have all the ingredients so made do with what I had and the recipe below was the end result.

I hope you'll not only give it a go but enjoy 'my not really chicken parmgianno' 

To serve 4 people you will need

2 large mugs full of cous cous
3 chicken breasts
1 red bullet chilli
200g breadcrumbs
40g peri peri seasoning
2-3 tbsp vegetarian parmesan
1 large whisked egg
Cherry tomatoes
2 medium onions
1 tbsp Garlic paste/granules/3 crushed clovez
700g pasta sauce
2 handfuls spinach leaves
50g mozzarella

• Start with the cous cous  measure  out 1 large mug full of plain cous cous into a bowl. The good pinch of salt and pepper and 1 red bullet chilli deseeded and finely chopped. Add in 2 ( of the same mug ) mug full of fresh boiled hot water and then cover with cling film and leave to soak.

• For the chicken .. 3 chicken breasts butterfly cut then cut in half so you ended up with 6 pieces.
In a large flat plate mix the breadcrumbs with the powdered peri peri seasoning, and  vegetarian parmesan

• Dip the chicken in whisked egg then coat in the breadcrumb mix. Shallow fry the chicken peices till golden brown & cooked completely. Leave aside to cool.

• In a heavy based pan saute 2 medium (chopped ) onions  along with a tbsp of garlic paste/granules/3-4 crushed cloves, and half a tsp salt till golden brown.

• Add a good handful of cherry tomatoes and cook till tomatoes are just soft. Pour in about 700g of your choice of pasta sauce - I used dolmio basil & tomato.

• Simmer till slightly thickened then add in a few good handful of spinach leaves. Let the leaves wilt then add in the chicken. Scatter over some mozzarella all over the top, place under the grill till cheese begins to melt.

• Serve on top of the cous cous & sprinkle extra parmesan shavings on top if desired

Chicken Tikka wraps

This is a dish that's always a hit no matter how many times a week i make it, as well as being super easy and you can always switch up the wraps for a mixed salad instead if you're wanting something lighter but just as tasty


For my chicken tikka wraps to serve 3-4 people you will need

700-750g boneless chicken - cut into medium chunks
5 tbsp yogurt
1/4 tsp salt
4 -5 tbsp tandoori masala powder/paste
1 tsp cumin seeds
2 tbsp lemon juice
2-3 tbsp olive/vegetable oil

To dress :
green leaf/ mixed leaf salad
cucumber
tomatoes
sauces of your choice

• Simply mix all the ingredients into a bowl (apart from the dressing)
• Leave to marinate for a minimum of 1/2 an hour or if you can overnight to let the tikka masala absorb into the chicken
• Bake the  chicken in the oven for 35-40 mins at 200c fan / 180c conventional oven till completely cooked through and the chicken starts to char slightly 
• Serve in your choice of naan, pitta bread or tortilla wraps, garnish with the salad and your choice of sauces. Alternatively serve with just a load of salad for a lighter meal.  
• My kids love the chicken once it's completely cool in bread as a sandwich for their school packed lunch or shredded in cous cous

Chicken & chickpea masala

This is the filling i use for my chicken pasties :

1 kilo boneless chicken- I used thigh meat as i find it doesn't dry out as much as breast
1 & 1/2 level tsp salt
2 large onions diced
2 tsp cumin seeds
3 green chillies finely chopped
1 tsp chilli flakes
Handful fresh coriander chopped
1 tin of chickpeas ( water drained )
2 handfuls garden peas
Tsp of garam masala
6 - 7 baby new potatoes cubed
1 tsp lemon juice

• Start by frying off the onions i a little oil till golden brown. Add in the salt and green chillies and cook on a medium heat till the chillies have softened

• Add in the chicken, and cook the chicken through completley, then add in the potatoes & chickpeas, cook the mixture until the the potatoes are soft but not mushed & the chick peas have browned a little

• Still on a medium heat, add in the cumin seeds, chilli flakes and garam masala. Check the seasoning of the salt & chillies and if required you can add in a little more chilli flakes or salt if needed.

• Once the mixture has cooled completley, add in the fresh coriander and lemon juice & mix well. The mixture is now ready to use to make my chicken pasties or alternatively as a filling for a pie.

Chicken Khawse

This is one of those recipes where Ive only had the dish twice at the most but it's one that I love as it's a curry that's got depth with spices without being too hot as well as being light and refreshing with the addition of coconut milk and yogurt. 

I failed in my efforts searching Pinterest and Google to find the actual recipe since i couldn't remember what it was called, and thanks good old Facebook a friend knew what i was looking for an came to my rescue. 

This is a perfect dish for this time of year, when it's dark gloomy and freezing cold - a proper winter warmer of a dish.

To serve 4- 6 people you will need:
2 medium onions
3 chicken breasts (thinly sliced) 
2 x 500g tub natural yogurt
200ml tin coconut milk 
250ml chicken stock
2tbsp gram flour 
2-3 tsp ginger paste
2-3 tsp garlic paste
2 green birds eye chillies 
2 red bullet chillies (de seeded )
1 1/2 tsp salt 
1 tsp garam masala 
1 bay leaf
1-2 kaffir lime leaves
1 tsp cumin seeds*
1 tbsp soy sauce
2 teaspoons curry powder 
2-3 spring onions finely chopped 
fresh coriander chopped 
crisped fried onions
fresh finely sliced ginger 
200g egg noodles 
juice of a whole lime 
1-2 limes cut into quarters

• Start by heating a little oil in a heavy based based pan, add in the onions finely sliced, and cook till the onions soften and just start to colour. Add in the garlic ginger salt and the 2 green birdseye chillies. Continue to cook on a medium heat until the chillies have slightly softened and the onions have gotten slightly golden brown.
• Add in the chicken and continue to cook till the chicken just starts to colour, add in the curry powder, garam masala, bay and kaffir lime leaves and cumin seeds. Cook through until the chicken is almost completely cooked, then remove from the pan and set aside.
• In a bowl mix the gram flour with 2 tablespoons of the yogurt to make a smooth paste, then add in the remaining yogurt, then the chicken stock and coconut milk. Stir it altogether till its all combined and there are no lumps
• On a high heat, add the milk to the pan, continuously stirring till it reaches boiling point.* Reduce the heat, add the chicken to the pan along with the soy sauce. Leave to simmer on a low heat for about 10 minutes
• Add in the noodles and stir through. At this point i like to taste test to see if it needs more of either yogurt or coconut milk or wether it needs to simmer for longer. If it gets too thick for your liking, all you need to do is add a little fresh boiled water till its at the consistency you like.
• Add the coriander and red bullet chilli just before serving, and as an extra serve the crisped fried onions, fresh ginger slices**, spring onions and lime wedges separatley and your guests can help themselves.

*stirring the milk until boiling point prevents the yogurt from splitting and ending up from looking like curds/ cottage cheese. I tend to stir in circular clockwise motions at a slow speed so i can see the bubbles form as it comes to boil

** for the ginger i use a vegetable peeler to get really thin slithers and that way it's perfect to bite straight into and gives a really nice kick

Because the cousin's wife asked

This is a recipe that's purely ended up on here due to a family member asking how to cook Chicken and potato curry and I thought it may as well be drafted up and shared with you all ... So here's my recipe for chicken and potato curry 

To serve 3-5 people you will need :

1 kg chicken thigh cut in pieces or 1 whole chicken in pieces
3 medium onions
1 frozen cube ginger 2 frozen cubes garlic 1tsp salt 3 green chillies 2 tsp curry powder 1 bay leaf 1 tin tomato 2 tbsp fenugreek leaves (methi) 2 small tins of baby potatoes / 3 medium fresh potatoes cut into quarters chopped fresh coriander to garnish 2 tsp garam masala

• Start by chopping your onions and in a heavy based pan fry in a little oil on a medium heat till softened.Add the ginger garlic and salt. Cook the onions till they are golden brown in colour.
• Add the chillies and cook till the chillies soften and slightly darken in colour. Add the tinned tomatoes, curry powder and a splash of water. Stir through then with an electric blender or masher, blend the mixture so you get a smooth masala paste.
• Add in the chicken and the bay leaf and the cleaned fenugreek leaves. Cook the chicken till lightly browned, and juices run clear and there's minimal water, you'll know its ready when masala starts to stick to the chicken and the oil will separate• 
• Finally the tinned potatoes and stir through so the potatoes absorb the masala. Add water to the chicken .. just enough to cover the chicken and simmer on a medium heat for about 10 minutes (or until it's as thick as you prefer, sometimes i leave it quite dry so it ends up a quite spicy bhuna) till the water has reduced and add the coriander garam masala just before serving.

*if using fresh potato add at this point, you will need to stand close by and stir continuously till the potatoes cook through- add a little water at a time to stop the masala from catching

My Favorite's favourite

My Favourite's favourite .. bit of  vague title for a recipe i hear you say.. Well since this is a blog not only about food that i love, it's a blog filled with dishes that have some sort of important memory or of sentimental worth. And my family & the foods they like are just as important to me and part and parcel of this blog.

So this one had to be shared, as it is for someone that is very much an important part of my life, one of my mums brothers, my Mahmu (uncle) one of his all time favourite dishes is Chicken & Spinach curry.


For this version I've taken a short cut and used frozen chopped spinach rather than having to wash & chop a load of fresh spinach, which can make this dish quite time consuming. I will be sharing a version using fresh spinach at some point in the future as it does give the dish a totally different taste. But for now, here's my take on Chicken & Spinach AKA in my house The Uncle's favourite :

To serve 4-5 people you will need:

1x 750g bag of frozen chopped spinach
4 medium onions
2 tsp ginger paste
2 tsp garlic paste
3 chillies
2 tsp curry powder
1 x tin of chopped/plum tomatoes.
1 tsp salt
2 tsp mustard seeds
1 tsp cumin seeds
1 medium chicken cut in pieces*

• Start by adding the onions, chopped, into a heavy based pan, and frying till softened, add in the salt, garlic & ginger paste, and cook through till the onions are golden brown in colour. 
• Add in the chillies, either whole, or chopped up to add more heat to the dish, and continue to cook on a medium heat until the chillies have softened and begun to cook through.
• Add in the tomatoes, and the curry powder, add in about 100-150 ml of water and leave to simmer on a low heat so that the tomatoes soften, i find that this can take between 10-15 minutes.
• While the masala is simmering, add the mustard & cumin seeds to a non stick frying pan, and dry roast on a low heat. Remove from the heat and put aside. With your chicken, if it is on the bone, take the drumsticks and score them through the thickest part as this will help the drumsticks cook evenly.
• Take all the chicken pieces and add them to the masala. Cook on a medium heat till the chicken is lightly brown in colour, no pinkness should be visible. The masala should almost stick to the chicken and the oil will separate.**
• Add in the spinach, stir and cook through on a medium heat. You will know it is cooked once there is no water/ moisture in the spinach, it will have darkened in colour, and again you will see the oil separate from the chicken and spinach. **
• Add in the cumin and mustard seeds, stir through to ensure they're well incorporated & serve with chapatis or naan. 

* if you're not a fan of chicken on the bone, you can use either chicken breast (about a kilo)  cut up or ask your butcher for thigh meat which wont dry out as much as chicken breast possibly would.

** you will need to stay close to the cooker at this point as it can catch and burn quite easily, and you need to be stirring it often to keep it cooking consistently. If it does catch, add a splash of water and carry on cooking through

Chicken & mushrooms with a cracked black pepper sauce

This is one of those recipes that i literally threw together without much thought or exact measuring of ingredients - I had a rough idea of how much and what I needed, and tweaked it as i went along. 
I was rather happy with the end result as not only did it taste rather scrummy & filling, It only used 5 ingredients & took just under 30 minutes to cook.

The husband & I ate it with a side of sweet potato wedges & steamed veg.. but it's just as nice on its own as it is or maybe served with rice or even stirred into pasta.


The amount below should easily serve 2 people :

1large chicken breast 
1 large onion
2 x 180g cracked black pepper Philadelphia
2 handfuls of sliced button/chestnut mushrooms
4-5 tablespoons of milk 

• Start by cutting your chicken breast .. either into strips or 4 quarters, and leave to a side. (I did mine in strips simply because quarters would have taken a little longer and I was running behind on other jobs)
• Roughly chop the onion and cook off in a large frying pan in a little oil till softened & brown in colour. Add in the chicken and cook through till no pinkness remains in the chicken
• Add in the sliced mushrooms, and continue to cook till the chicken has browned evenly all over and the mushrooms have cooked through.
• In a bowl, mix together the cream cheese and the milk. Take the chicken off the heat and stir in the cream cheese 
• Once the sauce is incorporated & the chicken & mushrooms are coated thoroughly, put back on to a medium heat and leave to simmer. Taste at this point and season with salt if you wish too.
• Leave to simmer till the sauce has reached your desired thickness and serve*

*If the sauce becomes too thick at any point, just add in a little milk slowly stirring it through till its back to the consistency you want it at

Chilli Chicken Nachos

If you want a quick, no fuss minimal effort for a snack or starter for a get together then this is the recipe for you. These nachos really are the easiest to make but definitely moreish when it comes to flavour and are a definite crowd pleaser. 

The amount below that I made served just over 10 of us :

2 x 150g Bag of Doritos (I went for the hint of lime flavour)

1x g Bag of grated cheese

1x g Jar of Jalepenos (optional)

Fresh coriander - chopped small handful (optional)

2x g bottle of sala (I used Old El Paso)

smoked paprika 

1kg boneless chicken*

2 medium onions

1 tsp chilli flakes 

1/2 tsp salt

• Start by chopping your onions, and browning them till softened in a large pan in a little oil.
• Add the chicken once the onions have softened, and cook the chicken throughly & until lightly browned in colour - mine took about 20 minutes.
• Add in the salt & 1 level tsp of smoked paprika, chilli flakes, chopped coriander & stir through. Leave to cool.**
• When ready to serve, take a platter or large plate (making sure it fits in your microwave)***
• Put the Doritos in the plate, pour half the salsa evenly over the Doritos, and sprinkle over a little cheese.
• Add some of the chicken next, and a few jalepenos, pour on a little more salsa & another good handful of cheese, finish with a sprinkling of smoked paprika.
• Put the plate in the microwave on full power for 8-10 minutes - or until the cheese is melted and bubbling .. and tuck in 
• Serve with Guacamole & Sour cream on the side with extra salsa & jalepenos 

* Instead of chicken breast, I asked my butcher for thigh/ leg meat as this doesn't dry out as much as breast does.


** When the chicken has cooled, pour into colander so that any excess oil can be drained as the last thing you want is the nachos sitting in a pool of oil.


*** You can also put them under the grill if your serving plate/platter won't fit in the microwave.

Who says Nandos is just for chicken ?!

Sundays go hand in hand with long lie ins, late breakfasts, staying in your pyjama's for as long as possible and most importantly a good old roast dinner. I don't know about you but a sunday without a roast of some form is just criminal.

With that said a roast isn't always possible when you've kids running crazy around the house or are desperately (is it just me ?)  trying to catch up with the mound of laundry and ironing. This is a recipe that really requires hardly and prep at all, and cooks away slowly while you can get on with whatever else needs doing..  Or if your anything like myself .. plonk yourself on the sofa and do as little as possible !!




To serve a family of 4 for you will need :
2- 2 1/2 kg lamb shoulder
2 sachets of Nandos garlic & herb seasoning (medium hot)
100ml olive oil
fresh rosemary sprigs*
2 medium red onions

• Start by preheating your oven at 200c, (fan assisted) then in a small bowl combine the 2 sachets with the olive oil and stir together and put aside.
• Take the lamb shoulder and lightly score all the top and underside. Take the garlic marinade, pour over the shoulder and rub in well with your hands, making sure you get into the scored cuts.
• Take the rosemary sprigs and tuck into a few of the cuts on top and the underside
• Cover the lamb with foil and place in the oven and leave for 2 hours
• After 2 hours, remove the foil from over the lamb**, add in 2 roughly chopped onions. Lower the heat down to 150c and place back in the oven for a further 3 hours
• The lamb now should be golden and fully roasted. Remove from the oven, recover with the foil and leave to rest for at least 10 minutes.
• Serve with your favourite roast veg, my easy peasy yorkies and gravy  … and lashings of gravy 

Yorkies and Gravy

What's better than a home made roast ? It's a home made roast with home made gravy AND yorkshire puddings .. both of these go perfect with my roast lamb shoulder, the recipe which is here

If you're one of those that thinks gravy and yorkies are a bit of a mission, i promise you not.


To make 6-8 yorkshire puddings you will need:

100g plain flour
2 eggs
100ml milk
pinch of salt and pepper
oil oil

• Preheat your oven on full *
• In a 12 hole cupcake/muffin tin, pour about a tablespoon of oil into each hole
• Place the tray into the oven for the oil to heat up for about 10 minutes - the oil needs to be bubbling hot.
• Whisk together the milk & eggs and add in a pinch of salt and pepper.
• In a bowl, place the flour and make a well. Slowly pour the milk into the flour whilst continously whisking. You should end up with a smooth batter. If there are any lumps, continue to whisk for a further couple of minutes
• Carefully remove the muffin tray from the oven and pour in the batter into each hole evenly. Try to be as quick, but careful, as you can. 
• Lower the heat to 250c and place the tray back in the oven, leave for 25-30 minutes. Do not open the door until the yorkies have almost doubled in size and are golden brown in colour. 

To make the gravy you will need :

Roasting juice from the roasting dish
1 tablespoon of flour
350-400ml of stock

• Start by removing your roasted meat or poultry from the roasting dish and placing aside. Place the dish on a low heat over your cooker.
• Remove excess bits of fat as you'll end up with a rather heavy and greasy gravy, scrape the juices  and bits off the tin with a wooden spoon and you should see the juice begin to simmer
• Add in the tablespoon of flour and mix and stir continuously and you should end up with a paste like consistency
• Slowly pour in the stock, again continuously stirring. Keep stirring till the flour and stock have combined together. Leave to simmer for a couple of minutes to thicken. 
• If after a couple of minutes the mixture is too thick, add in some more stock or even just a little water. If it's too runny for your liking, leave for a few more minutes. Season with a little salt and pepper

Dial up or dial down Beef noodles

I don't know about you but I'm a nando's fan and I love that I can get my hands on them from practically any supermarket now and play around with recipes to my hearts content.. As well as saving a few pennies and keeping my purse that little bit heavier !



This one is a twist on my Sweet Chilli Chicken & Noodles and uses their hot peri peri sauce .. Question is are you one to crank up the heat or turn the heat dial down ?


To serve 4 people you will need :

500g cooked egg noodles
400g Beef Strips
1 red onion
1 x red & green pepper
handful mini corn on the cob
Nando's hot peri peri sauce

• Start by finely slicing your onion, and frying in a large frying pan till they soften, add the beef strips and cook on a high heat for about 5-8 minutes 
• Add in the mini corn on the cob and cook for a further 3-5 minutes- i like mine to have a slight crunch and not cooked all the way through. Finally add in the sliced peppers, and again just till they still have a slight bite to them .. soggy cooked peppers are a no no for me
• Add in the noodles and lower the heat as they just need heating through and they will burn quite quickly on a high heat, and stir in the  Nando's sauce to your  liking. Are you dialling up the heat or turning it down ?
• Finish off by garnishing with a sprinkling of sesame seeds and fresh chopped coriander 

Who needs Amigos ?

As a foodie I love nothing more than going out for a meal and finding a dish that I've enjoyed that much I end up dissecting it and attempting to work out what components have made it as a whole - kind of like my very own Masterchef palette taste test !

One of those very dishes is from a Mexican restaurant - Amigos - their Chicken Poblanos is divine and the last couple of times the husband and I have been out to eat there I've ordered it and taken some serious effort to 'get' what, apart from the obvious chicken, it's made up of. So I've had a bit of a play around and this is my take on it.

This is one of my recipes where I've used a few cheats rather than making everything from scratch but I promise it delivers fully on flavour.  I originally made this to serve 3 but because a small amount is quite filling you could get away with 4 maybe even 5 people depending on the size of chicken breasts that you use. The one thing I struggled with was getting my hand on some genuine Poblanos peppers, so i stuck to the good old bell peppers. If anyone could point me in the right direction to get my hands on actual poblanos peppers I'd be forever grateful !


To (easily) serve 4-6 people you will need 

3 medium   chicken breasts 

1/2 tsp chilli flakes

4-5 tbsp smoked paprika
3-4 tbsp cajun seasoning
227g ready made breadcrumbs or crushed up cornflakes*
3 eggs whisked

4-6 large potatoes
One batch of my cheese sauce

3 x jar of chunky salsa***

2/3 handfuls of grated cheese

1 x squeezy bottle of sour cream***

2 spring onions

1/2 red, yellow & green bell pepper diced 

Oil for frying

Handful of fresh coriander 

• Start by putting the breadcrumbs or crushed cornflakes into a bowl or dish big enough for the chicken to be dipped in. Add the chilli flakes, smoked paprika and cajun seasoning and mix it all together 
•  Slice each chicken breast in half length ways .. so starting at the thickest end and working your way down to the thinnest end 
• On a  low to medium heat, add about a 1/4 a pint of oil to a large heavy based frying pan. piece of chicken at a time dip into the egg, then into the breadcrumbs . Coat the chicken piece all over, place into the frying pan and fry till golden brown.  Repeat this with all of the pieces - I normally fry about 4 pieces at a time. Fry until each side is golden brown. I found that each piece took just under 10 minutes, but again this can vary depending on the size of the chicken breasts.
• Set the chicken aside, peel and slice your potatoes, no more than an inch thick and in the same frying pan, lightly fry the potatoes till cooked and golden brown, and drain on kitchen paper 
• Turn on your oven to 200c, (fan assisted) while the oven is preheating, in an oven proof dish, preferably rectangular, add the potato scallops , pour in 1 of the salsa jars, and a quarter of the cheese sauce and carefully stir through. 
• Next place the chicken pieces on top of the potatoes, spreading them out evenly. Cover each piece with a generous amount of salsa, then spoon on the cheese sauce. 
• Sprinkle some smoked paprika over the whole of the dish, add grated cheese (as much or as little as you want) then finally sprinkle over the diced sweet peppers
• Place the dish in the oven and bake for about 20 minutes or until the cheese has melted. 
• Finish the dish off by garnishing with sour cream & chopped fresh coriander & serve  

* Using cornflakes will give you a slightly crunchier coating on the chicken 

*** I find the Old El Paso range the most full of flavour but again you can go with whatever brand you prefer

Tandoori - not cooked in a tandoor - Roast Chicken

This is one of those recipes that sounds so much harder than it actually is .. Probably due to the 'tandoor' part of the name.. a tandoor is a clay pot or oven that meat or even breads are cooked in, over charcoal. As the fat from the meat drips on to the hot coals, the embers flare up onto the meat giving the meat a distinct charcoal taste & appearance. It's basically the equivalent of the much loved barbecue

Tandoori's are used in a lot of Indian & Asian restaraunts to this day, but obviously in home cooking it's the oven that takes centre stage for preparing large meals, and it's just as good for this recipe too. You can always get the barbecue out on a day when the sun decides to make a rare appearance then you're even closer to getting the authentic tandoor taste.

To serve 5 people you will need

10 drumsticks - skin removed

1/2  of 454g tub natural yoghurt

zest of 1/2 lemon

1 tsp cumin seeds

1/2 tsp chilli flakes

1/2 tsp carom seeds (optional)

6 tbsp oil

14 tbsp tandoori masala* (powder)

lemon wedges & fresh coriander to garnish 

• Start by making a small cut in the thickest part of each drumstick - this will help them cook through evenly
• Place the drumsticks in a bowl, add all the above ingredients to the drumsticks and mix well. Leave to marinate for a couple of hours minimum, or even better overnight for the marinade to be  absorbed by the chicken.
• Pre heat your oven to 200c, place the chicken in a roasting tray or oven proof dish. Cover with foil and bake for 1 hour and 10 minutes. Half way through the cooking time, remove the foil, and turn each of the drumsticks over. 
• Bake uncovered for the last half until the chicken crisps up a little . The chicken is ready when it has a charcoal like appearance and the juices run clear from the thickest part of the drumsticks 
• Serve garnished with wedges of lemon and fresh chopped coriander 

*Tandoori Masala is a red coloured powder mixed with other Indian herbs & spices that gives the chicken its well loved red colour. It's now widely available in most big name supermarkets too as well as any Indian & Asian grocery store*

   

Quick style, but just as fab roast chicken, with all the trimmings

It's been a few weeks since my last blog. I've been so busy between housework, kids appointments, and the general madness of a hectic household my blogging's been neglected. 

Whilst the kids are now occupied with their collection of bricks & have got their dad joining in, I wanted to get this blog down.

On a Sunday I absolutely love nothing more than a good old roast with the trimmings, and it's a brilliant way for me to get the kids into eating their vegetables- they aren't keen on them when  just boiled, but roasted in the oven with herbs & a little bit of spice, they will wolf them down.

so today I'm posting the recipe for the lunch we've just polished off- with some sent off to my mum & baby sister in law . (she's 27 but the youngest out of us lot, so sorry Sadaf if you're reading this)

I love this recipe for roast as it's a variation that cuts a few corners, with the use of Nando's seasoning, really doesn't require too much effort & tastes just as good as a version that may take you hours 

 To serve between 4-6 people you'll need the following :

2 medium chickens cut in half/ quarters
2 sachets of Nandos BBQ Seasoning
1 sachet of Nandos Hot seasoning
2 sachets of Nando's Lemon & Herb seasoning
5 Large potatoes 
3 large parsnips 
1 large sweet potato 
a good handful of sprouts
3 large carrots 

•  I normally start by placing the chicken in large bowl, then I add enough olive oil to just coat the chicken, and then add in the BBQ & Hot Nando's seasoning.* with my  hands, then mix the chicken together and make sure all the chicken is coated well with the seasoning. 
• I'll leave the chicken in the fridge for at least 2 hours to marinate**
• I then peel the potatoes, sweet potatoes, parsnips & carrots and chop into chunks/quarters, don't worry about them being all the same size & perfectly cut, it's much easier & quicker than trying to make them all look perfect.
• To get the veg crispy on the outside, I tend to par boil my veg so it's just slightly softened, drain them from the water, then put them in a roasting dish, add the sprouts & pour in a few tablespoons of olive oil and then coat with the Nandos lemon & Herb seasoning.
• To roast the chicken, I preheat the  oven to 200 C, remove the chicken from the fridge and place it in my roasting dish & cover with foil. I put in the oven for an about and hour & a half.
• Half way through I take the foil off, turn the pieces over and let  the chicken crisp up, & then place the veg in the oven.
• To make sure the veg doesn't catch or over cook, I give them a toss around when they've been in the oven for about 30 minutes.
• I'll then serve the chicken & veg with good old yorkshires & lots of gravy

So that's my quick style, but just as fab roast chicken, with the trimmings - I hope you'll give it a go and let me know what you think or let me know of your own variations so I can give it a go. 

* I normally buy the seasoning from my local Asda, but I'm sure the other large supermarkets will sell it too

** If I'm in a real rush for time, I'll leave the chicken for the minimum 2 hours, leaving it overnight is best as it gives more time for the seasoning to do it's job