Blood Orange Baked Chicken

Serves 4-6

Time 1 hour

Ingredients

3 blood oranges – 2 sliced thinly (1cm pieces), 1 blood orange juiced

6 chicken thighs – skin on

1 tbsp Chinese five-spice

3-star anise

2 tbsp honey or golden malt flavoured syrup 

3cm piece ginger, peeled and crushed 

3 garlic cloves, crushed

2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil 

1 bunch choy sum- end of stem removed

Pinch salt 

Method

Preheat the oven to 180°C. 

Heat a non-stick pan over medium heat and place the chicken thighs skin down on the pan – brown the skin for 3-5 minutes until crispy – once done place in a large mixing bowl. 

Toss the following ingredients in the bowl; blood orange slices and juice, Chinese five-spice, star anise, honey, ginger, garlic cloves and 2 tablespoons olive oil. Ensure chicken pieces are covered in the mixture, coat well.

Place the contents of the bowl in an oven bake tray – arrange the dish so all chicken pieces are skin side up (and thus crispy post cooking) and the blood orange pieces are below chicken or tucked between to prevent burning. 

Bake for 40 minutes – check at the 20-minute mark and place some of the sauce over the chicken to prevent burning. 

Whilst the chicken is in the oven place bring a pot of salted water to boil and gently blanch the choy sum – for no more than 2 minutes so they remain crunchy. 

Drain the choy sum and cut it in half so it is easier to serve (lengthways). 

Arrange choy sum on a plate, serve alongside the one tray blood orange bake.