Creating flavours does not need to be complicated, in fact less is very often more. Here we have a perfect example of creating a tasty meal with what can often be sourced really quite cheaply and as was the case when I made this dish sourced from the reduced section in the supermarket.

Spice Coated Chicken with Potato Wedges & Gravy

Spice Coated Chicken

• 4 Chicken quarters
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp black pepper
• 1/2 tsp of chilli
• 2 tsps of garlic granules
• 1 tbls of olive oil or other oil

      Preparing the Chicken

1.  Aside from the chicken, put all the ingredients into a container/bag and mix together.
2. Add the chicken and coat all over, set aside for as long as you can, a couple of hours is good.

     Potato Wedges

• 1 largish potato per person,
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp of black pepper
• 2 tsp of garlic granules
• 1/2 tsp of either dried Rosemary or Thyme or both if you want/like herby potatoes
• 1 1/2 tbls of olive oil
• 1 tsbl of lemon juice

     Preparing the Wedges

1. Cut each Potato in half and then each half cut into three or four wedges.
2. Apart from the Potatoes put all the ingredients into a bag/container and mix thoroughly.
3. Add the Potatoes and as with the Chicken set aside for as long as you can, but again two hours is good.
4. After a couple of hours put your Chicken and Potatoes onto two oven proof trays or achets and space out.
5. Squeeze out any remaining juices from the bags over their respective main ingredient.
6. Put into a pre heated oven 180’c, 375’f or gas mark 4 for approx 50. If working without a fan oven swap the two dishes around on the shelves about half way through the cooking process.
7. Skewer both the Potatoes and the Chicken to make sure each have cooked thoroughly, for the Potatoes, the skewer should enter easily and for the Chicken the juices should run clear.
8. Once you are happy the food is cooked, remove the Chicken dish and carefully pour the juices into a small pan. Put Chicken back into oven to keep warm.

          Gravy

1. Mix 1tsp of Bisto powder in a little cold water with 1tsp of Cornflour.
2. Slowly add to the Chicken juices and bring to the boil, stirring all the time.
3. Once the Gravy is heated, compile your dish to your own preference, with a choice of veg. I always have frozen peas and or sweetcorn for just such an event as a yellow label purchase.
4. Enjoy.

Next week we shall make Chicken Cordon Bleu. For this you shall need, chicken breasts, one each, your choice on size,  ham slices, breadcrumbs and cheddar/emmental cheese of your choice. This is ideally served with a baked potato. If you keep leftover homemade bread, this is when it is super for DIY breadcrumbs.