Honey roast chicken thighs with quinoa recipe

Chicken thighs on the bone are a great budget buy and perfect for speedy family meals. The flesh stays moist during cooking and is full of flavour. Here sticky roasted chicken thighs are served with a warm quinoa salad. Quinoa is a nutritious and nutty flavoured tiny grain which cooks quickly in boiling water. During cooking the grains absorb all the water and swell then separate into the seed and germ. Take care not to overcook quinoa – the germ should still have a little bite to it.

Learn how to cook the perfect chicken thighs with our easy guide!

Ingredients

• 8 chicken thighs (skin on)
• 1tbsp lemon juice
• 2tbsp runny honey
• 1tsp dried rosemary
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 150g quinoa
• 2tbsp olive oil
• 1 red onion, peeled and chopped
• 1 orange pepper, deseeded and chopped
• 1 red pepper, deseeded and chopped
• 6 spring onions, trimmed and chopped

Method

1. To make this chicken thigh recipe, preheat the oven to 200°C/400°F/Gas Mark 6. Place the chicken thighs in a roasting tin. Mix together the lemon juice, honey and rosemary and brush all over the skin. Roast the chicken for 35-40 mins until cooked through with a golden and crisp skin.
2. Meanwhile, rinse the quinoa under cold running water. Drain well then place in a pan with 400ml of cold water and bring to the boil. Cover and simmer gently for 15-20 mins until all the liquid has been absorbed and the germ has separated from the seed.
3. Heat the olive oil in a frying pan and fry the onion and peppers for 4-5 mins until just beginning to soften. Stir into the quinoa with the spring onions and season well with salt and freshly ground black pepper. Serve with the roast chicken thighs.