Chicken and chips family style

What child wouldn't enjoy having 'chicken and chips' for their dinner? In fact how many adults would turn that meal down? OK, so maybe that's a bit of an exaggeration but most people have meals that they would enjoy from a takeaway or restaurant that could be seen as an indulgence. Having grown up in the countryside, I've never had takeaways regularly as no one would deliver that far out of town. I don't think this has done me any harm, we ate takeaways as children, but they were always a treat that was savoured and was fitted in if convenient. Now, I live closer to town but takeaways are still a treat that we really don't have very often.

 
 

A few years ago when I started to get more interested in the food I was eating, I was reading more literature about food, where it comes from, how it's made, what gets put into it and started making choices and changes. A few of the things that I've chosen to remove from my diet are carbonated drinks and fast food. Now, years down the line if I drink cola it tastes foul, like burnt caramel and if I eat fast food it might taste good for about 5 minutes but 15 minutes down the line I feel sick from all of the grease going into my body.

 
 

We're in January, the month where the news recently reported the most divorce cases are started, the television is filled with programs trying to help people lose weight and get fit. Recipe books and magazines are full of tips and tricks for cooking the food you enjoy but with less of the calories or fat or salt content. Adverts bombard you with slimming products and clubs all promoting the idea that a new year means a new you. My biggest piece of advice is that you need to forget about 'dieting' and think more about living healthily. It is easier than all of those programs and adverts suggest and you need to look at it as a permanent part of life. It can be done with the whole family. In fact, it's probably easier and more supportive if everyone is eating the same things.

 
 

Anyway, the point I'm trying to make, is that it's ok to have your favourite things, but you might need to have them less frequently if they're calorie or fat indulgent. I still eat chocolate, we have pizza occasionally, my husband enjoys a glass of wine each evening, but this is balanced by the rest of our diet. The chips recipe is adapted from BBC Good Food magazine, but the whole meal concept was dished up for dinner tonight. Best of all, it's really simple, yes it has a less common ingredient polenta, but we all need to think outside of our comfort zone some times.

 
 

Chicken and chips

1 tbsp vegetable oil

Chicken pieces (if they have skin on, you can choose not to eat the skin or could take it off before cooking)

3 or 4 medium potatoes

1 tsp smoked paprika

1 tsp polenta

Salt & pepper

Bag spinach

 
 

1. Preheat the oven to 200°C. On a large tray pour the oil. Heat this in the oven for a few minutes. Whilst this is happening, use 1/2 tsp of the smoked paprika to sprinkle over the chicken with a little salt and pepper. Put this in the oven.
   
2. As soon as the chicken is in the oven, slice the potatoes into chip style pieces, leave the skin on. In a bowl mix together the remaining smoked paprika, polenta and a little more salt and pepper. Then get the potatoes in the bowl and give it a good mix. I'd recommend hands, and this is where my 2 and 1/2 year old joined in with cooking tonight.
   
3. Tip this mix onto the tray with the chicken and place back in the oven. The chips need about 40 minutes and should be shaken half way through. The most important thing is that the chicken is cooked through thoroughly - skewer and the juices should run clear.
   
4. 5 minutes before serving the chicken and chips, empty the packet of spinach into a saucepan with a lid and place on a high heat and cover with the lid. Give it a shake/stir whilst it's wilting so that the bottom pieces don't burn.