Sticky BBQ Chicken with Home Made Coleslaw and Chips

This recipe is incredibly easy, cheap and far tastier than a KFC! The marinade for the chicken is made from ingredients that most people have in the cupboard and after making this coleslaw I promise you will never buy the store-bought rubbish again. 

Serves 4 or 3 hungry people
Takes 45 Minutes plus marinating time


Ingredients


For the marinade:

• 3 tbsp ketchup
• 2 tbsp honey
• 3 tbsp sweet chilli sauce
• 1 tbsp low sodium dark soy sauce
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 1 tbsp white wine vinegar (you could even use balsamic for a slightly different taste)
• 1 finely chopped garlic clove
• 1 tsp Cajun seasoning (or just play around with cumin, cayenne, paprika, black pepper and mixed herbs)
• Salt and pepper

• 8 chicken drumsticks or 6 chicken thighs - you could use chicken breasts but I find the meat doesn't have as much flavour, and they are also much more expensive

For the coleslaw:

• 1/2 a small white cabbage
• 1 small onion (red or white, it's up to you)
• 1 large carrot
• 2 heaped tbsp mayo (low fat is best)
• 1 heaped tbsp natural or greek yoghurt
• 1 tsp mustard (optional)
• (you can add a grated apple or a diced stick of celery for a bit of a different flavour - don't be afraid to play around with the flavours, add chives or other herbs if you wish)

For the fries:

• 3 - 4 large potatoes
• A good glug of olive oil
• Your choice of dried herbs and spices (I usually use some standard mixed herbs, black pepper, a dash of salt and a bit of paprika or cayenne)

Method

1. Mix all of the marinade ingredients in a large bowl or dish, give it a taste and see if anything needs to be added (I usually add a little bit more chilli sauce, but this is up to you.)

2. Cut a few slits into the fattest part of the chicken with a pair of scissors or a sharp knife (this ensures that you get as much flavour as possible into the chicken). 

3. Add the chicken to the marinade and rub it all over the chicken ensuring every last bit is covered. Wash your hands! Then cover with cling film and pop in the fridge for anything from an hour to overnight.

4. Whilst the chicken is marinading you can prep all your veg. Shred the cabbage finely, then thinly slice your onion, you may wish to grate it if you're not confident with your knife skills. Then grate the carrot and apple if using. Finely slice the celery if you're using this too. Add all your veg to a large bowl and give it a good stir to combine it all. 

5. Cut your potatoes into chips or wedges (I used a chipper I purchased from Dunelm for about £6 which makes things a lot easier.) Par boil these on a medium heat for 10 - 12 minutes. Drain, give them a good shake then leave to steam in the pan for a few minutes whilst you put the chicken in the oven.

This is our chipper and as you can see it produces perfectly sized chips! The grate comes in two sizes so you can make skinny fries or proper chips. For £6 it was an absolute bargain. However, it can be a bit temperamental at times. One incident included several chips flying into our wall when my boyfriend applied a little too much force.   

6. Heat your oven to 200c/gas mark 6. Pop the chicken in a roasting tin or large lasagne dish, ensuring all the pieces are evenly spaced. Cook for 20 minutes on the middle shelf of the oven.

7. Drizzle the olive oil onto the potatoes whilst still in the pan, then add the herbs and spices you're intending to use. Give the pan a good shake so that the spices cover all the chips.

8. Remove the chicken from the oven, turn the pieces over and baste with the marinade from the dish, return to the oven.

9.Pop your chips onto a baking tray and cook along with the chicken for 20 minutes.

10. Add the mayo, yoghurt and mustard (if using) and give it all a good stir, season well and pop into the fridge until your chicken and chips are ready.

11. Once the chicken is cooked all the way through (slice the fattest part of the chicken, if the juices run clear it's cooked) and your chips are nice and crispy, remove both from the oven and serve with a big helping of coleslaw.

Enjoy!

This recipe really is great for any occasion, we ate it whilst watching the Super Bowl, enjoyed with a few beers and it went down a treat. Make sure you have plenty of napkins to hand, it really is messy!

Where to shop?

So, the basics, if you're on a budget, where exactly do you carry out your food shopping? I'm going to give my thoughts on all of the major supermarkets, their pros and cons and what exactly they can offer you; a food lover on a budget.

Aldi - I love this place, and I think it's popularity has really grown over the years. Aldi pretty much has everything you'll need (other than some herbs and spices and some more uncommon ingredients) in only four aisles, which is great for a quick weekly shop. They have weekly deals on; the Aldi Super 6 is a selection of 6 fruits and vegetables priced at either 39p or 69p which is always amazing value. I often devise my weekly meals around this because no other supermarket provides value quite like this! They also have weekly meat deals which are great value too; from 99p bacon to £2.99 organic chicken breasts.

Asda - I think Asda is great for branded products and is brilliant when you need to stock up on your basic cupboard supplies (soup, baked beans etc) or for cheap cleaning products which is always appreciated! However, I don't think the quality of their fresh produce is always that great. I often find it difficult to find basic items such as red onions or rocket there, which is annoying as you then have to go somewhere else to get any items you weren't able to. I do love their deli counters as they have a range of them; from fresh meat and cheese to curries and pizza. These are especially great for a cheaper alternative to a take-away and the choice is vast. You can even create your own pizza there which is great, especially for children.

Co-Op - Where I live in Plymouth, I can reach three different Co-Ops within a five minute walk. It is a pretty good convenience store and after living opposite one for a year I definitely appreciated it, especially if I had forgotten to pick something up during my main weekly shop. I do think that the Co-Op can be overpriced, although you have to pay for convenience, but I must say that they do regularly have some deals that I have to take advantage of like half price cheese or coffee. I think you'd be very hard-pressed to buy a whole weeks worth of food there but it has it's benefits.

Marks and Spencers - The king of ready meals! One or two aisles of fresh produce and the rest made up of ready-prepared options. Don't get me wrong, I love M&S, they must be the only supermarket able to produce ready meals where the packaging resembles the product. It is incredibly expensive but then you have to pay for quality, don't you? Their Two Dine in for £10 is great for a treat when you're budget won't exactly stretch to a meal out in a restaurant.

Morrisons - Morrisons is the main supermarket in my home town and I think 80% of residents must do their shopping there. I think their fresh produce, especially fruit and vegetables, is great, they have a wide range of produce and stock items you may not be able to get anywhere else, especially more exotic fruits. Their salad bar is a great idea, and I have taken advantage of it on many a lunch break as it works out so much cheaper and healthier (as long as you stick to the right things!) than a fast food option.

Sainsbury's - I think Sainsbury's is becoming better value all the time. They currently offer a 'Brand Match' on all branded products, meaning that if their products are not cheaper than the other big four supermarkets you get money off your next shop. They also provide some great meal plan recipe cards which are aimed at eating healthier for less, I have taken advantage of these many times. Sainsbury's is also great when you need more exotic ingredients but don't have an ethic foods store nearby (luckily for me, I live next door to one), their world foods section contains so much more than fajita dinner kits and pasta sauces.

Tesco - Tesco is slowly taking over the world. Apparently every 7th pound is spent at Tesco, which is a pretty scary statistic. I personally find Tesco to be a bit inconsistent with their produce, I often can't find the things I need, even in their superstores. I think more and more emphasis is being put on their 'other' ventures rather than the food, which is great if you want a 42" flat screen LCD TV, but not so great if you just want a bag of sweet potatoes. However, their meat and fish offerings are great, one of the best of all the big supermarkets.

Waitrose - The supermarket of footballers' wives everywhere (and I must admit, I've seen a couple in there!). Waitrose is amazing, you can't deny that. It is the place for what I like to call Food Porn, food so good it turns you on a little bit. Waitrose is so overpriced it's almost ridiculous, but when you have the money, why not? £6.99 fish pie ready meal anyone? However, their new Essentials range is a lot cheaper than you'd imagine, but without skimping on the quality they're known for. Waitrose is the king of organic produce and supports British farmers more than any other and if you truly are an ethical shopper then this is great.

So that's my, rather long, guide on all things supermarkets. I personally split my shopping between Aldi and Sainsbury's. Aldi for the main bulk of my items and Sainsbury's for everything else. This is due to convenience as well as personal preference; they are the supermarkets nearest to me and as I don't own a car, the ones with the cheapest taxi fares!
Any thoughts?

Hayleigh x

Delectable Edibles

Hey :) Let me start by introducing myself and this blog.
Who?
My name is Hayleigh and I'm a 20 year old marketing student currently living in Plymouth but I'm originally from a sleepy town in Staffordshire. I am a self-confessed foodie. It's pretty much the only thing I use to unleash any creative talent I have. I love reading about food, cooking food and of course, eating it!

What?
As a poor student, I obviously have limited funds, but I don't let this stop me from creating delicious meals for myself and others to enjoy! I want to share recipes with you along with hints and tips on sticking to a budget whilst still cooking delicious food. I also want to hear from you; any tips and suggestions you have are much appreciated. This blog isn't just for students, it's aimed at anybody that enjoys food and anybody that has to be a little thrifty in life, which I think is most of us nowadays.

Why?
I want to prove that it is possible to eat well whilst sticking to a budget. So many people I know exist on take-aways and beans on toast (on jacket potatoes, with cheese, with pasta?!) but you can eat so much more exciting meals for far less money than you'd think. I have learnt a lot about food over the years and feel it's about time I shared my experiences, I've been inspired by so many other people (my family, other bloggers, chefs) and I hope I'll inspire others to get cooking :)

Hayleigh x