I have eaten this particular recipe my whole life, which has been passed on from Mary Berry to my mum then to me. It never ceases to delight me and whoever I cook it for, it’s one of those recipes that kids love, fuss pots love – everyone loves and it’s fun to make, being comprised of all pantry staples, apart from the chicken and unless you fancy a bit of coriander or parsley on top.

You literally add everything into a bowl, coat the chicken thighs in the marinade and leave for a few hours, or overnight until you are ready to whack it in the oven. I’ve had this with jacket potatoes, all types of rice, on the BBQ, in a bun…..it has that proper barbecue, smoky taste – the only annoyance is that it can be hard to clean the dish it’s baked in, but we can deal with that.

Feel free to use chicken on the bone, whether it is or not it will easily fall away from the bone once baked. Serve with your choice of carb and a zingy salad. I made jewelled rice, link below and a simple fennel, cucumber and spinach salad.

If you do try this, I am certain it will become a regularity and save on time, money and stress preparing something brilliant on week nights (although it’s also good enough for the weekends too).

https://thetravellingpantry.com/2014/05/13/fig-and-honey-lamb-shanks-with-jewelled-rice-and-cucumber-salad/

Ingredients Serves 2 Recipe inspired but tweaked from Mary Berry

• 4 boneless, skinless chicken thighs or feel free to use a mix of thighs and drumsticks
• 2 heaped tbsp of apricot jam (the cheaper jam will do, you want it thick rather than runny)
• 2 tsp Dijon mustard
• ½ tsp chilli flakes
• ½ tsp cayenne pepper
• 3 large garlic cloves, crushed
• 2 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
• 6 tbsp tomato ketchup
• 2 tbsp soy sauce
• 1 handful of chopped parsley or coriander to serve (optional)
• Salt and pepper, to season

Method

Get a medium sized bowl and add the marinade ingredients, giving it a good mix with a spoon.

Season your chicken well with salt and pepper.

Place your chicken in a baking dish (grease dish first, if you want to aid the washer upper) so they fit quite tightly and pour over your marinade (I use my hands to really massage it in). Leave for a few hours or overnight is even better.

Before cooking, if a watery liquid has formed on the top, use a spoon to capture this and discard as you want to keep this as thick as possible. My sauce is always thicker in the UK than Australia for some reason.

To bake – Heat oven to 220°C and bake for 30 minutes until dark brown and cooked. To test this, prod the thickest part with a fine skewer and if the juices run clear, the chicken is cooked.

To grill – Grill chicken on a med-high heat for about 25 minutes, until browned and juices run clear. Baste with the sauce every 5-10 minutes.

In the meantime, prepare your rice, salad or whatever sides you have chosen and then serve the chicken with extra sauce spooned over the top.