Although we don’t tend to get a lot of Takeaways normally, I wouldn’t get fried chicken anyway. It’s too greasy and I’m not sure how much welfare goes into raising these chickens. So this is a guilt free alternative. The chicken isn’t fried it’s baked, and you can use free-range if you prefer. I think it tastes as I remember and it uses up all the parts of the chicken no-one normally likes.

With a salad and baked potato wedges with their skins on, this is a healthier alternative to the usual takeaway.

…

Breakfast
Toast or Porridge

Lunch
Leftover Salmon Pasta Bake or Cheese Salad Sandwich

Dinner
Non Fried Chicken with Potatoes Wedges and Salad

Snack
Flapjack

…

RECIPE

Fried Chicken
(Adapted from Jamie Oliver’s Save book)

Makes 4 Servings

Ingredients

2 teaspoons of plain flour or polenta (cornmeal)
4 thighs, 4 drumstick and 4 wings of the chicken
1 teaspoon Cajun seasoning
4 Garlic cloves
130 grams stale bread
2 more tablespoons All purpose flour

Method

Preheat the oven to 190°C or Gas Mark 4

Slice the potato into wedges, toss in a tray with a little olive oil and pinch of salt and pepper, then put aside.

Remove and discard the skin from the chicken and lay the pieces on a large baking tray. Add the plain flour or polenta, a good lug of olive oil and the Cajun seasoning to the tray, squash over half the garlic through a garlic crusher, then toss and massage to coat the chicken. Place on the top shelf of the oven, pop the wedges underneath and cook for 20 minutes.

Meanwhile, Peel the remaining garlic and whiz in the food processor, then pulse in the bread and a good lug of olive oil until you have fine breadcrumbs. Tip on to a tray.

In another bowl, mix 2 tablespoons of the plain flour with 4 tablespoons of water to make a paste.

When the time’s up, remove the chicken from the oven, then carefully brush the pieces with the flour paste and use tongs to firmly press them in the breadcrumbs until they’re all evenly coated.

Return the tray to the bottom of the oven, quickly turn the wedges and cook for a further 30 minutes, or until the chicken and potatoes wedges are golden and cooked through.

Serve with a fresh salad or peas

Budget food ; Eat for less  ; Eat for a pound  ; eat below the line ; Healthy eating ; Eating cheap . cheap recipes ; food poverty ; food waste ; delicious food ; foodbank ; Eat well for Less ; Frugal . Thrifty ; money saving tips ; easy tasty recipes ; cheap and cheerful recipes; cheap eats ; cheap and healthy ; budget recipes ; cheap family meals ; cheap meals for students ; cheap recipes ; Thrifty eating ; budget dinner recipes ; Quick, easy, cheap meals ; healthy recipes for two ; cheap recipes for 2 ; budget recipes for students ;