This time of year is when I’m collecting the last of the produce from my garden, as everything is just about finishing. This year we got a bumper crop of chillies, so I’ve been recipe testing lots of new ways to cook them. This piri-piri recipe is inspired by the craze people have for Nando’s and their tradional Portugese chicken recipes.

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Piri-piri Chicken

Serves 2

Ingredients for the Piri-piri chicken
2 skin on chicken breasts
Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Ingredients for the piri-piri sauce
4-6 fresh red chillies, depending on how hot you want it
3-4 garlic cloves crushed
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon oregano
1/2 teaspoon paprika
3 tablespoons of oil
3 tablespoons of red wine vinegar
1/2 juice of a lemon
Dash of Worcestershire sauce

Ingredients for loaded sweet potatoes
2 sweet jacket potato
1 spring onion finely slices
100g of cheese
Salt and pepper
1/4 teaspoon of Dijon mustard

Serve with a small mixed salad

Method

To make the piri-piri sauce, preheat the oven to 180°C.

Prick and roast the chillies in the oven for about 10 minutes.

Chop the chillies, and place them seed as well with garlic, salt, oregano, paprika, olive oil and vinegar in a saucepan, and simmer for 2-3 minutes.

Blend it in to a purée with a hand blender or food processor, and leave to cool. Place the chicken breast in a clean freezer bag and add half the piri-piri sauce, spreading it evenly over the chicken.

Seal the bag and marinate in the refrigerator for at least one hour. Save the rest in a small bowl for brushing on later

Reheat the over to 180°C.

Pop 2 sweet potatoes in the microwave to start them, then bake in the oven until soft.

Meanwhile season the marinated chicken, and cook on a griddle or frying pan for 2-3 minutes on each side, until golden brown.

Transfer the griddled chicken to a roasting tray and spoon over some more piri-piri sauce then roast in the oven for 20-25 minutes, until cooked through, basting regularly with the remaining piri-piri sauce.

To make the Loaded sweet potatoes, slice in half and scoop out the potato. Mash and mix with the salt and pepper, onion, half the cheese and the mustard and refill the skins. Sprinkle the remaining cheese over the top and grill for a few minutes until the cheese is golden.

Serve the chicken with the loaded sweet potato and salad.