Mexican-Spiced Chicken with Corn & Pepper Rice

• 4chicken breasts
• 300 glong-grain white rice, rinsed
• salt and black pepper
• 2 tspsmoked paprika
• 1 tspground cumin
• ½ tspdried oregano
• 3 tbspgarlic-infused olive oil
• 3spring onions, green tops only, sliced
• 200 gcanned sweetcorn, drained
• 15 gfresh coriander, chopped
• 1lime, juiced
• 1red pepper, diced
• 1yellow pepper, diced
• 8small tortillas (optional)
• 150 mlsoured cream (optional)

Method

1. 1Mix the smoked paprika, cumin, oregano and 1 tbsp of the garlic-infused oil into a loose paste. Rub it all over the chicken breasts and season generously with salt and black pepper; spice rubs need salt underneath them, not sprinkled on top.
2. 2Heat the 1 tbsp garlic-infused oil in a large frying pan over medium-high heat. As the oil warms, the spices in the rub will toast against the hot pan. Lay the chicken in smooth-side down and don't crowd the pan; if your breasts are large, work in two batches. All at once and the pan drops in temperature, water comes out, and you've steamed the chicken instead of crusting it.
3. 3Cook for 6–7 minutes per side, until the spice crust is deep mahogany and the thickest part reaches 75°C for 30 seconds. Lift onto a board and rest for 5 minutes; the juices settle back into the meat instead of running out the moment you slice. Then carve on the diagonal.
4. 4Meanwhile, bring a pot of well-salted water to the boil. Cook the rice according to packet instructions until tender, drain, and keep warm.
5. 5Set a separate pan over medium heat with the remaining 1 tbsp garlic-infused oil and sauté the diced red and yellow peppers for about 5 minutes, until softened and just starting to catch and char at the edges. Those dark spots are flavour; don't stir them off too soon.
6. 6Stir the peppers and drained sweetcorn through the hot rice. Add a good squeeze of lime juice, season with salt and black pepper, then taste again. The lime should lift the corn's sweetness without shouting.
7. 7Divide the rice between plates with the sliced chicken, spring onion greens and coriander. Serve the optional warmed tortillas and soured cream if using. The lime juice is already in the rice.

Per serving

kcal

738

protein

62.6g

fibre

5.1g

carbs

77.3g

fat

18g