My first week of filming in Manchester went really well and I am blown away by their food scene. I went on the Scranchester food tour, led by Rob Kelly, who describes it as a Manchester food tour with a twist of history. ‘Scran’ is a north of England word for food.
I also went to Skof, opened in 2024 by Tom Barnes. Tom worked in the best restaurants worldwide for 20 years, and Skof already has a Michelin Star. You might have seen Tom on BBC2’s Great British Menu, where he won the main course.
I also enjoyed Higher Ground, which Joe Otway runs with two colleagues. Their emphasis is farm to fork and seasonality. They grow all their own vegetables and rear their beef on their farm an hour away. All very impressive.
Today, I have two recipes with chicken thighs, one of my favourite cuts. This chicken tinga recipe is good value and a great introduction to Mexican food. Some time ago, I was introduced to authentic Mexican food at 777 on South Great George’s Street.
My sister, Sharon, cooks wonderful Mexican meals. This street food classic was one of the most memorable things I tasted. It’s a delicious shredded-chicken stew with a touch of chipotle. Here is a slightly simplified version of that recipe. I like to serve this with rice.
The second recipe is a real winter warmer with lots of flavour. If the thighs are on the bone, cook them a little longer. Chicken thighs and streaky bacon is a lovely combination. And the redcurrant jelly gives a nice tanginess. Wexford Home Preserves has a very good product.
Ingredients: Serves 4
4 tbsp olive oil
500g skinless and boneless chicken thighs, sliced
1 onion, finely chopped
1 red pepper, seeded and finely chopped
2 garlic cloves, crushed
½ tsp dried thyme
1 tbsp tomato purée
2 tbsp chipotle paste
175ml chicken stock (fresh or from a cube)
3 ripe tomatoes, roughly chopped
12 small soft corn tortillas
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
Sour cream, fresh coriander and lime wedges, to serve
Method
1 Preheat the oven to 150°C (300°F/Gas mark 2). Heat half the oil in a casserole dish or skillet pan over a medium-high heat. Season the chicken and sauté for 6-8 minutes until golden brown. Transfer to a bowl.
2 Add the rest of the oil to the casserole, reduce the heat to low and sauté the onion and pepper for 10 minutes until softened but not coloured. Stir in the garlic and thyme, then cook for another 2 minutes. Stir in the tomato purée and chipotle paste, and cook for 1-2 minutes.
3 Return the chicken and any juices to the casserole, stirring well to coat. Pour in the stock and add the tomatoes. Season generously and bring to a gentle simmer. Then cover with a lid and roast for 2 hours until the chicken is meltingly tender, stirring after 1 hour to make sure that everything is cooking evenly.
4 When the chicken is ready, shred it up using two forks. Turn off the oven and put the tortillas inside for a few minutes to warm. Serve the chicken straight to the table with the warm tortillas, sour cream, coriander and lime wedges on the side, letting everyone construct their own tacos.
Chicken thighs with cider and sweet potatoes
Ingredients: Serves 6-8
12 rindless streaky bacon rashers
12 skinless and boneless chicken thighs
3 tbsp rapeseed oil
2 onions, cut into wedges
2 sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into cubes
2 garlic cloves, crushed
1 bay leaf
275g flat mushrooms, sliced
2 tbsp redcurrant jelly
Finely grated rind of 1 orange
450ml chicken stock
120ml dry cider
2 tsp fresh thyme leaves
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 tbsp chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
1 tbsp toasted flaked almonds
Creamy mashed potatoes, to serve
Method
1 Preheat the oven to 200°C (400°F/Gas mark 6).
Stretch each rasher with the back of a table knife and then wrap it around a chicken thigh.
2 Heat the oil in a large casserole with a lid and cook the wrapped chicken thighs in batches until lightly browned all over. Arrange on a plate and set aside.
3 Reduce the heat. Then add the onions and sweet potatoes. Sauté for 5 minutes, until golden. Add the garlic and cook for 1 minute, stirring to prevent it from sticking.
4 Add the bay leaf, mushrooms, redcurrant jelly and orange rind. Then pour in the stock and cider. Bring to the boil, then reduce the heat, return the chicken to the casserole and stir in the thyme.
5 Cover and cook for 1 hour, or until the chicken is completely tender and the sauce has thickened slightly. Season to taste and stir in the parsley.
6 To serve, sprinkle the casserole with the flaked almonds, then place it directly on the table with a large bowl of creamy mashed potatoes to mop up all those delicious juices.
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