Sweet potatoes are never as crispy as regular potatoes, but they do add to your 5-a-day. We’ve used kefir in this recipe for its rich contribution of beneficial gut bacteria
Prep:15 mins
Serves 4
1 tsp each of ground cumin and smoked paprika1 tsp dried oregano1 tbsp fresh thyme leaves or 1 tsp dried8 skinless, boneless chicken thighs (900g)1 red and 1 yellow pepper, deseeded and chopped3 red onions, sliced into 1cm-thin wedges2 celery sticks (125g) , finely chopped1 tbsp rapeseed oil, plus 1 tsp2 sweet potatoes (375g peeled weight), cut into 16 wedges150g Kefir or bio yogurt 2 tbsp snipped chives
STEP 1Heat the oven to 200C/180C fan/gas 6. Mix the cumin, paprika, oregano and thyme together in a bowl, with a good grinding of black pepper. Set aside 1 tbsp for the potatoes. Use the rest to rub all over the chicken thighs.STEP 2 Tip the peppers, onions and celery into a large roasting tin and toss with 1 tbsp oil. Spread out the veg so it cooks evenly, then nestle in the chicken. Cover with foil and roast for 40 mins.STEP 3Meanwhile, coat the potato wedges in the 1 tsp oil and remaining spices, and arrange well-spaced apart on a non-stick baking tray. Put in the oven, on a higher shelf, when you have 35 mins left for the chicken. Stir the kefir and chives together to make a dip, adding up to 1 tbsp water to loosen, if needed. Set aside.STEP 4Remove the roasting tin and potatoes from the oven and turn up the heat to 220C/200C fan/gas 7. Remove the chicken to a warm plate and leave to rest for 5 mins. Return the veg to the oven, uncovered, for 5-10 mins to colour a little. Serve half the wedges on plates with half of the chive dip and half the veg and chicken. Cover and chill the remaining portions. Will keep chilled for up to three days. To reheat, gently warm the potatoes in a non-stick frying pan, taking care they don’t burn. Heat the chicken until piping hot in a microwave or pan set over a medium heat. If freezing, leave to defrost fully before reheating in a pan over a medium heat until piping hot.
