Family dinners

Coconut & turmeric baked chicken thighs

Serve economical chicken thighs with spring greens and rice for a nutritionally balanced family meal that’s big on flavour.

SERVES 4 PREP 5 mins plus marinating COOK 40 mins EASY

6-8 skin-on chicken thighs
1 tsp ground turmeric
1 tsp ground cumin
2 garlic cloves, grated
thumb-sized piece of ginger,
peeled and grated
200ml coconut milk
1 onion, finely sliced
250g spring greens or spinach,
roughly chopped
1 tsp maple syrup or honey
400g cooked rice, to serve

1 Put the chicken thighs in a bowl and rub in the turmeric, cumin, garlic, ginger and 3 tbsp coconut milk. Leave to marinate for at least 15 mins, or longer if you have time.

2 Heat the oven to 180C/160C fan/gas 4. Scatter the onion and spring greens on a baking tray, then add the rest of the coconut milk, the maple syrup and 150ml water. Cook in the oven for 10 mins, stirring regularly to wilt the greens. Put the chicken thighs on top, then return to the oven for 20 mins, stirring the greens underneath occasionally.

3 Heat the grill to high and cook for a further 8-10 mins until the chicken skin is crispy. Serve with the rice.

PER SERVING 427 kcals • fat 18g • saturates 7g • carbs 36g • sugars 6g • fibre 5g • protein 28g • salt 0.4g

Harissa fish pie

SERVES 4 PREP 10 mins COOK 1 hr EASY

700g sweet potatoes (3-4 small
or 2 large)
3 tbsp rapeseed oil
a pinch each of cumin and
smoked paprika
1 onion, finely chopped
1 red pepper, finely chopped
350ml semi-skimmed milk
350g fish pie mix (make sure it
contains smoked haddock)
225g frozen king prawns, defrosted
2 ½ tbsp harissa paste
2 tbsp cornflour
30ml double cream
200g spinach, roughly chopped
green beans, to serve

1 Prick the sweet potatoes all over with a fork, and cook for 5-7 mins on high in the microwave until soft. (Or, bake for 1 hr in the oven at 180C/160C fan/gas 4). Remove the skin and mash the flesh with 2 tbsp of the oil, the cumin and paprika. Set aside and keep warm.

2 Meanwhile, heat the remaining 1 tbsp oil in a medium flameproof casserole or ovenproof frying pan over a medium heat and cook the onion and pepper until soft, about 7 mins. Warm the milk in a pan over a low-medium heat and add the fish pie mix and prawns. Cook for 4 mins until the prawns have just turned pink, then scoop out the fish and prawns. Reserve the milk.

3 Add the harissa paste to the onion and pepper, and cook for 2 mins. Stir in the cornflour, then add the reserved milk, a little at a time, stirring continuously. Stir in the cream. Add the spinach and cook for 2 mins until it softens, then