“kids dinner” chicken

I’ve been making this simple chicken dish for my girls for years but have never thought about sharing the recipe – it’s so simple that it doesn’t really need one. You’ll notice that I don’t put exact amounts of ingredients for the sauce – it’s “a bit of this”, “bit of that” kind of number. So if that’s your thing – then by all means, read on and give it a whirl.

If you’re the type of cook that likes measurements and precision however, it might be best to look away.

This chicken is sticky and saucy and delicious and can be served with whatever your kids like. Think rice, cous cous, mashed potato or pasta and with whatever steamed veggies you can rustle up from the fridge. Add some heat to it in the form of chilli flakes, sweet chilli sauce or Sriracha, if you prefer, and in my opinion – any meal can be taken to new heights with the help of some fresh coriander sprinkled over the top.

Just make sure that you promise me one thing – that you give the chicken some time to simmer until it’s really nicely cooked down. Under-cooked chicken thighs are one of my pet hates. NB: If you want to be Speedy Gonzales – use chicken breast instead.

“kids dinner” chicken

I’ve called this dish “kids dinner” chicken because of how quick and easy it is to make and because it’s mild in flavour, making it a winner with my kids. By all means add chilli to it if you like though.

Come to think of it, I could of called it “Pantry chicken” as everything you need for the sauce can generally be found in the cupboard.

Just make sure that you let the chicken cook down/simmer well as one of my pet hates is undercooked chicken thighs. NB: If you want to make this meal even speedier, use chicken breast instead as it cooks more quickly.

The pressure point for this dish – don’t let it burn. Make sure you’re paying attention of the heat on the stove. You want to use a high heat to brown the chicken and then a low heat to let it simmer. Add extra water to the pan if needed and be conscious that it’ll take longer to cook depending on how much chicken you’ve decided to use.

500 grams of chicken thigh fillets, chopped into small pieces (or the recipe can easily be doubled or tripled depending on numbers)
1 x scant teaspoon of minced garlic
1 x chicken stock cube, dissolved in a cup of water
A good couple of shakes of soy sauce
1 x tablespoon of honey
A good squirt of tomato sauce
A shake of Worchestershire sauce
A couple of shakes of vinegar (I favour rice wine vinegar but you can substitute for apple cider vinegar or white vinegar)
Salt and freshly cracked pepper
A dash of olive oil
1 x dessert spoon of cornflour mixed with 2 x dessert spoons of water
Steamed rice and veggies, to serve

• Simply add a dash of olive oil to a large non stick frypan and fry the chicken over a high heat until really nicely browned, seasoning well with salt and pepper here.
• Now add the garlic, stock, soy sauce, honey, tomato sauce, Worchestershire sauce and vinegar and turn the heat down to a simmer. (NB: When simmering – add a little water if need be).
• When you’re happy with how the chicken is cooked, add the cornflour thats been whisked together with the water and pour it in, letting it cook for another five or so minutes so that the flour is cooked out. (NB: The purpose of the cornflour is to thicken the sauce).
• Once the chicken is cooked nicely and the sauce is looking nice and glossy, it’s ready to go. Dig in.

I hope you enjoy this recipe. I’d love for you to leave a comment to let me know what you think. xx