Ingredients

• 1 dessertspoon ready-made sweet chilli sauce or mango chutney
• 2 tsp ready-made curry powder
• 1 tsp ground cumin
• 3 garlic cloves
• crushed to a paste with the edge of a knife
• 1 dessertspoon ginger syrup (from a jar of stem ginger)
• 1 tbsp plain yoghurt
• 8 chicken thighs
• skin on
• bone in
• skin scored several times with a sharp knife
• 2 tbsp vegetable oil
• ½ onion
• peeled
• finely sliced
• 2 garlic cloves
• crushed to a paste with the edge of a knife
• 100g/3½oz button mushrooms
• sliced
• 1 tsp dried chilli flakes
• 1 tsp ground turmeric
• 500g/1lb 2oz basmati rice
• rinsed thoroughly in cold water before cooking
• 100g/3½oz fresh peas
• 2 ripe tomatoes
• chopped

Directions

• For the spiced chicken
• in a large dish
• mix together all of the spiced chicken ingredients
• except the chicken thighs.
• Add the chicken thighs and turn to coat them in the marinade
• rubbing the marinade into the scored chicken skin using your hands.
• Cover the dish and chill in the fridge until needed
• or ideally overnight.
• When the chicken has marinated
• preheat the oven to 200C/400F/Gas 6.
• Arrange the marinated chicken thighs on a baking tray
• leaving a little space between each thigh. Spoon teaspoons of the remaining marinade over the chicken thighs.
• Transfer the chicken thighs to the oven and cook for 12-15 minutes
• or until crisp and beginning to blacken.
• Reduce the oven temperature to 180C/350F/Gas 4 and continue to cook the chicken thighs for a further 15-20 minutes
• or until the chicken is dark golden-brown and completely cooked through.
• Meanwhile
• for the 'emergency biryani'
• heat the oil in a large casserole that has a tight-fitting lid over a medium heat. Add the onion and garlic and fry for 3-4 minutes
• or until softened and starting to colour.
• Add the mushrooms and continue to fry for 2-3 minutes
• or until softened.
• Add the chilli flakes and ground turmeric and cook for a further minute
• stirring well
• until the spices are fragrant.
• Add the rice and stir until well combined.
• Add enough cold water to the pan to reach 1cm/½ in above the level of the rice.
• Bring the water to the boil in the pan
• then immediately cover the pan tightly with aluminium foil and cover with the lid. Continue to boil the rice for 4-5 minutes
• then turn off the heat and leave the pan on the residual heat for a further 15 minutes (the steam in the pan will continue to cook the rice).
• Carefully lift the foil covering and add the peas and chopped tomatoes. Return the foil covering and stand on the residual heat for a further five minutes
• or until the rice is tender.
• To serve
• fluff the rice with a fork
• then divide it equally among four serving plates. Place two quick-spiced chicken thighs alongside each serving. Serve with a lightly dressed green salad.