Garlic, lemon & sweet chilli chicken with McCain Sweet Potato Fries

Merry back to normal! We’re here, we made it! December is done. The tree’s down, the cards recycled and the kitchen raided of all sprouts, stilton and stollen. I love Christmas; love, love, love it, but, I do like getting back to normal just as much. A little like swapping exotic cocktails for a cup of tea when home from a holiday, it’s just plain comforting to put something familiar into your body. Hurrah for regular meals returning, without the need to shoe-horn mincemeat or turkey into them.

I make no apology for the fact I love my freezer. It has saved my bacon regularly when time is short. This recipe, created for @McCainUK’s #BacktoNormal campaign, uses chicken breasts (which you can buy fresh or defrost from frozen), McCain Sweet Potato Fries and frozen corn on the cob – all big hits with the kids, to help get us parents get teatimes back to normal. They’re great staples I keep stowed away in the freezer for days when I want a delicious tea that’s sure to be eaten up without too much prep. The sweet chilli in the marinade isn’t overpowering or (in my opinion) too hot for little mouths, though you can buy a mild version if you’re worried.

(Why not try my thyme & lemon pork chops with rainbow roasted veg and onion gravy or my baked tortilla using McCain chips plus my top ten tips for getting back into the swing of things).

Garlic, lemon & sweet chilli chicken with McCain Sweet Potato Fries

Serves 4 adults or 2 adults and 2 – 4 children depending on age

Ingredients:

4 skinless chicken breasts (defrosted if frozen)
4 cloves garlic, peeled and crushed
1 lemon
100mls sweet chilli sauce
1 tbsp olive oil
1 tsp freshly ground black pepper
500g McCain Sweet Potato Fries
625g freshly frozen mini corn cobs

Preheat the oven to 220°C/fan 210°C/gas mark 7.

Lay the chicken breasts on a large piece of greaseproof paper

fold it over to cover them

and then bash with a rolling pin until about 1cm thin.

Discard the paper and place the chicken breasts into a freezer bag then wash your hands.

Add the crushed garlic, zest and juice of the lemon, sweet chilli sauce, oil and black pepper.

Close the bag, give it a bit of a jig and a ‘squish’ to distribute the marinade evenly and place in the fridge for 10 minutes whilst the oven preheats.

Spread the McCain Sweet Potato Fries evenly in a single layer onto a baking tray and pop onto the top shelf of the oven.

Bake for 17 – 20 minutes, turning twice until crisp and light golden.

Place a fresh piece of baking paper onto a baking tray; place the marinated breasts onto the tray with a little space between each one.

Discard any leftover dressing left in the bag. Once the fries have been baking for about 5 minutes place the tray of chicken onto the middle shelf of the oven. Bake for 10 – 15 minutes until cooked through.

In the meantime cook the corn by either microwaving for 5 minutes (800W) on full power in a large dish covered with clingfilm and pierced several times or boiling for 12 minutes on the hob.