Hickory Spiced Chicken With Caramelised Pineapple And Orange Salsa, Crispy Fries And Spicy Mayo

As you've probably guessed, Japanese food is not my forte! I have barely begun to get my head around miso soup and crispy fish. (Although a square of tofu with soy sauce drizzled on top, ok, I can do that.)

I would love to post some cool Japanese meals that are easy to make, so I am sourcing some willing Japanese friends who are amazing in the kitchen (i.e. all Japanese people, they are all incredible cooks), to share their secrets for us all.

In the meantime, I haven't got a hope of creating anything that won't poison you, so I am still making and experimenting with foods that I know and love, that I have grown up on.

And today, well, let's just say I wanted a spicy chicken hit and a painless mid-week dinner.

Hickory Spiced Chicken With Caramelised Pineapple And Orange Salsa, Crispy Fries And Spicy Mayo

What you'll need:

For the Hickory Spiced Chicken:

Chicken drumsticks or wings (or any part of chicken, or a whole one, I just buy drumsticks because they are oh-so-affordable and delicious)
Hickory spices (or any kind of chilli spices you like, maybe paprika and chilli powder, tabasco, whatever you've got in that cupboard)
Oil

For the Crispy Fries:

Potatoes
Oil
Salt
Garlic (optional)

For the Salsa:

Tinned pineapple
Orange
Lemon juice (optional)

For the Spicy Mayo:

Mayo
Tomato sauce
Chilli powder (or paprika, tabasco, whatever you've got)

How to whip it all together:

Get your oven going to 180 C (350 F). Squash your chicken into an oven-proof dish, slosh with oil and generously cover with hickory spices, swirl around and put in oven on the 'lower' shelf.

Grab a baking tray and put down a sheet of grease proof paper (just for less washing up later). Thinly cut your potatoes (I leave the skin on because I am that lazy and I think they taste more awesome) so they look like thin fries. Drizzle with oil, pinch over your salt, and put in oven on the 'top' shelf.

The chicken usually takes 50+ minutes, and the fries, if they are thin, about 30-40 minutes. It can all go longer if you want. I don't open my oven, or turn chips or anything. I just let it go, and check on it after about that time.

Heat a pan on high, add pineapple circles and allow to chargrill on both sides. Peel orange, chop and add to pan to grill also. Pour into a bowl (add a squeeze of fresh lemon juice if you have it).

Get a bowl, squirt in roughly equal parts mayo and tomato sauce, a good pinch of chilli powder or spicy seasoning, and stir to combine.

Place it all on a serving board and you're good to go!