CHICKEN WITH HOT SAUSAGES & RED PEPPERS

Chicken thighs can vary a lot in size. For this to feed eight, you need big pieces; it will feed fewer if the thighs are on the small side. Try to find good-quality Italian sausages, the type that are flavoured with chilli or fennel are good for this.

Good

% Daily Values based on a 2,000 calorie diet

Step 1

Preheat the oven to 180°C fan (375°F),

Step 2

Gas Mark 5.

Step 3

Heat half the olive oil in a big shallow casserole in which the thighs can lie in a single layer, or use a heavy roasting tin that can go on the hob and in the oven.

Step 4

Quickly brown the chicken on both sides. - you don't want to cook it through, just get some colour on it - then remove from the pan. Do the same with the sausages, colouring them all over

Step 5

Cut the sausages on the diagonal into pieces. Halve and deseed the peppers and cut each half into 4 pieces lengthways.

Step 6

Toss the peppers and onions into the casserole or roasting tin with the chilli flakes, garlic, seasoning, the rest of the oil, the sherry vinegar, rosemary and sausages. Turn everything over with your hands. Put the chicken, skin side up, on top of this.

Step 7

Bake in the oven for 40-45 minutes, turning the vegetables over a couple of times. The chicken should be cooked through. Serve either with little potatoes that you've roasted in olive oil, or with mashed potatoes, or rice pilaf (mash or pilaf scented and coloured with a little saffron would be lovely with this).