The Hairy Dieters’ Spanish-style chicken bake may take over an hour to prep and cook but the flavoursome juices from the chicken thighs, chorizo, tomatoes and garlic, combined with the smoked paprika and oregano, make this a joy to devour once ready.
Do take the time to ensure the chicken and new potatoes are cooked through and tender, and it’s also worth taking the trouble to drizzle the chorizo juices over the chicken as part of the final stage of cooking. The end result is a fabulous, colourful plate of food that doesn’t resemble being on a ‘diet’ at all.
But you might want to leave consuming the whole pieces of garlic if you’re going on a ‘hot date’, or better still, cook this for your ‘date’ and get them to scoff the garlic with you. Sharing is caring ha ha!
Recipe: Spanish-style chicken bake
Calories: 370 per serving
Serves: 4
Book: Hairy Dieters – How to Love Food and Lose Weight
Prep time: Approx 20 minutes
Cooking time: Approx 1 hour
Ingredients: 1 medium onion (cut into 8 wedges), 1 medium red onion (cut into 8 wedges), 500g new potatoes (quartered lengthways), 8 whole garlic cloves (unpeeled), 8 medium tomatoes (quartered), 75g chorizo, 8 boneless, skinless chicken thighs, ½ tsp sweet smoked paprika, ½ tsp dried oregano, 1 green pepper (deseeded and cut into strips), flaked sea salt, freshly ground black pepper
Cost per portion: Approx £1.73
Method: Preheat the oven to 200°C/Fan 180°C/Gas 6. Put the onions, potatoes, garlic and tomatoes in a large roasting tin and season with sea salt and lots of freshly ground black pepper. Toss everything together lightly and roast for 20 minutes.
While the vegetables are roasting, skin the chorizo and cut the meat into thin slices – 5mm is about right. Put the chicken thighs on a board and carefully slash each one 2 or 3 times with a knife. Season all over with black pepper. Mix the paprika and oregano together and set aside.
Take the roasting tin out of the oven, scatter the chorizo over the veg and turn everything a couple of times. Place the chicken on top of the vegetables and chorizo and sprinkle with the paprika and oregano. Season with a little salt and return to the oven for 20 minutes.
Take the tin out of the oven. Holding one corner carefully with an oven cloth, lift the tin a little so all the juices run to the opposite end, then spoon and drizzle the juices back over the chicken. Tuck the pepper strips loosely around the chicken and vegetables.
Turn the oven up to 220°C/Fan 200°C/Gas 7. Put the tin back in the oven for another 20 minutes or until the peppers are just softened and the chicken is golden and crisp.
Recipe: Spanish-style chicken bake
Calories: 370 per serving
Serves: 4
Book: Hairy Dieters – How to Love Food and Lose Weight
Prep time: Approx 20 minutes
Cooking time: Approx 1 hour
Ingredients: 1 medium onion (cut into 8 wedges), 1 medium red onion (cut into 8 wedges), 500g new potatoes (quartered lengthways), 8 whole garlic cloves (unpeeled), 8 medium tomatoes (quartered), 75g chorizo, 8 boneless, skinless chicken thighs, ½ tsp sweet smoked paprika, ½ tsp dried oregano, 1 green pepper (deseeded and cut into strips), flaked sea salt, freshly ground black pepper
Cost per portion: Approx £1.73
Method: Preheat the oven to 200°C/400°F/Gas Mark 6. Put the onions, potatoes, garlic and tomatoes in a large roasting tin and season with sea salt and lots of freshly ground black pepper. Toss everything together lightly and roast for 20 minutes.
While the vegetables are roasting, skin the chorizo and cut the meat into thin slices – 5mm is about right. Put the chicken thighs on a board and carefully slash each one 2 or 3 times with a knife. Season all over with black pepper. Mix the paprika and oregano together and set aside.
Take the roasting tin out of the oven, scatter the chorizo over the veg and turn everything a couple of times. Place the chicken on top of the vegetables and chorizo and sprinkle with the paprika and oregano. Season with a little salt and return to the oven for 20 minutes.
Take the tin out of the oven. Holding one corner carefully with an oven cloth, lift the tin a little so all the juices run to the opposite end, then spoon and drizzle the juices back over the chicken. Tuck the pepper strips loosely around the chicken and vegetables.
Turn the oven up to 220°C/425°F/Gas Mark 7. Put the tin back in the oven for another 20 minutes or until the peppers are just softened and the chicken is golden and crisp.
Flatten Your Curves 
I’ve cooked this one. It’s tempting to throw it all in at the same time but leaving the chorizo til last keeps it juicy. I also couldn’t find pre-boned chicken thighs, so spent ages hacking away at them to get the bones out. One of the tastiest of their recipes!
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