A fabulously warming and balanced bowl of goodness. Prepare the salsa verde and harissa marinade in advance and store in the fridge for a quick fix.

Ingredients:

• 1 chicken breast or thigh, cut into chunks
• 2 tbsp harissa marinade (see below) or good quality shop bought
• 50g brown basmati rice
• 1 pinch of salt
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• ½ red pepper, sliced
• ½ courgette, sliced
• 20g kale, destalked & chopped
• 1 tbsp flaked almonds, lightly toasted
• 1-2 tbsp salsa verde (see below)
• Salt & pepper to taste

Method:

1. Preheat the oven to 200°C (180°C fan/400°F)
2. Place the chicken in a bowl with the harissa and leave to marinate whilst you prepare the rice and chop the veg.
3. Rinse the rice and place in a pan on the hob. Cover with water and bring to the boil with a pinch of salt. Turn down the heat and simmer for 30 minutes until the rice is soft.
4. Spread the chicken chunks on a baking tray and place in the oven for 10-15 minutes until cooked through.
5. Heat the olive oil in a griddle pan over a medium-high heat. Add the pepper, courgette & kale to the pan and cook until the veg are softening, around 5 minutes.
6. Drain the rice and place in a serving bowl with the spicy chicken chunks and griddled veg. Serve with a heap of salsa verde & sprinkle with toasted almond flakes. Season with salt and pepper.

Harissa Marinade (2 servings)

• 1 red pepper, roasted & peeled
• 1 tsp cumin seeds
• 1 tsp caraway seeds
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 1 tbsp lemon juice
• 2 cloves garlic, crushed
• 1 tsp apple cider vinegar
• ¼ tsp salt
• ¼ tsp chilli flakes (to taste)

Heat the oven to 220°C (200°C fan/425°F). Put the red pepper on a small baking tray and roast for 10-15 minutes, until soft and the skin is blistering. Remove & leave to cool before peeling. Discard the skin & put the flesh and seeds in the small bowl of a food processor. Add the rest of the ingredients and whizz until smooth (you may need to scrape down the bowl a few times). Store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 1 week.

Salsa Verde – Makes approx 250g (6-12 servings)

• 30g coriander
• 125g cashew nuts
• 4 tbsp lime juice
• 1 garlic clove, crushed
• 75ml water
• ¼ tsp salt
• 1 tbsp olive oil

Place all the ingredients (except the oil) in the small bowl of a food processor or blender and whizz until combined. With the motor running, drizzle the oil in slowly and keep whizzing until smooth & creamy. Store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 1 week.

Recipe by Homegrown Kate http://www.homegrownkate.com