Cheesy Chicken Nacho Traybake

Ingredients

• 600g boneless skinless chicken thighs, cut into bites
• 1 x 400g tin black beans, drained and rinsed
• 200g tortilla chips
• salt and black pepper to taste
• 1 tbsp mild chilli powder
• 1 tsp ground cumin
• 1 tsp smoked paprika
• 1 tsp garlic granules
• 4 spring onions, sliced
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 200g mature Cheddar, grated
• 150g mozzarella, torn
• 160g sweetcorn, drained if tinned
• 350ml passata
• 1 tbsp runny honey
• 1 lime, juiced
• Warm tortillas, to serve
• Soured cream, to serve
• Fresh coriander, to serve

Method

1. Heat the oven to 200°C fan. Pat the chicken bites dry with kitchen paper — water means steam, and steam means no colour on the edges.
2. In a bowl, toss the chicken with 1 tablespoon of the olive oil, the chilli powder, cumin, smoked paprika and garlic granules. Season generously with salt and black pepper — this is the only chance the chicken itself gets seasoned, so don't be shy. The oil here matters: it carries the spices onto the meat and helps them bloom in the oven heat rather than tasting raw and dusty.
3. Spread the chicken across a large baking tray in a single layer — crowd it and the pieces steam each other instead of roasting. Roast for 12 minutes, until the spices smell fragrant and toasted and the edges are starting to catch and colour.
4. Meanwhile, warm the passata in a small pan over a medium-low heat with the honey, the lime juice and a good splash of water — the water is what breaks the passata down so it tastes of tomato, not tin. Simmer gently for about 5 minutes until it's slightly thickened and the sweet-sour balance hits the tongue. Taste it: if it's sharp, another nudge of honey; if it's flat, a pinch more salt.
5. Pull the tray from the oven and pour the warm sauce over the chicken, tossing to coat every piece. Scatter over the black beans and sweetcorn, then return to the oven for 8 minutes until everything is piping hot and bubbling at the edges.
6. Layer the tortilla chips across the top, then scatter the Cheddar and tear over the mozzarella so it lands in molten puddles rather than an even blanket. Drizzle with the remaining tablespoon of olive oil and bake for a further 6–8 minutes, until the cheese is bubbling and golden in spots and the chip edges have darkened.
7. Taste a corner — adjust now, not at the table. A final pinch of salt over the cheese if it needs lifting.
8. Scatter most of the spring onions over the hot tray so they wilt slightly but keep a little bite, then bring it straight to the table. Add dollops of soured cream, a generous handful of torn coriander, the lime wedges for squeezing over, and a pinch of chilli flakes for anyone who wants more heat.