Tempting as this is, willpower (and by the end of the month, my purse) tells me that there has to be an easy to make, quick and healthy alternative that still gives the flavour punch that we are craving.
With a little forward planning I love a home made version which is even easier thanks to the fact you can buy Nando marinades in pretty much all supermarkets now (my local Londis even stocks them!).
I won't patronise you by claiming that this is a 'recipe' except perhaps on the part of the ratatouille, I like to think of it as more of a meal plan.
It's also worth noting that if spice isn't your thing, the lemon & herb Nando marinade is delicious or you could of course create your own marinade by simply using fresh lemons and thyme!
So here goes the simple 'recipe' for Nando's whole chicken with ratatouille. I like to serve it either with homemade wedges (peri-peri salt ties them in nicely) or mexican rice (Uncle Ben's microwave rice is a good calorie choice if you want a super speedy side).
Nando chicken
Serves approximately 2-4 people depending on appetite (I like to use left overs for another fab dinner - see suggestion below)
1.5-2kg Whole chicken
Nando's marinade of your choice (I like to use 2 packs of Nando's 'Coat & Cook' but any of their marinades will do the job, just be liberal!)
Method:
1) Simply coat the chicken in the marinade linerally. I always marinade the chicken for 24 hours before cooking and leave in the fridge. It's important to bring the chicken up to room temperature before you put it in the oven as this will make the meat succeulent and juicy.
3) Rest the chicken for around 30 minutes and then carve. Mr H is a big guy so he'll easily have half the chicken in one sitting.
You could easily do this recipe using joints of chicken or breast/boneless thighs if bones are really not your thing.
Ratatouille
Serves at least 6 people as a side (I make mine in quite a large batch and then either freeze or use for another delicious, speedy meal the following day - see suggestion below).
5 sprays of low-cal vegetable spray oil
2 x Red onions
3 x Garlic cloves
3 x Celery sticks
3 x Baby aubergines or 1 medium aubergine
1 x Large corguette
2 x Large peppers - I use 1 red and 1 yellow for colour
3 x 400g tins of cherry tomatoes (You could substitue for fresh and add a tablespoon of tomato puree and a little water if you wanted)
1 x Bay leaf
1 x Large sprig of Thyme
1) Peel and finely chop the garlic. Add to the pan along with the spray oil and begin on a low heat, be careful not to let the garlic burn!
2) Peel the onion and chop to roughly 2cm sized pieces. Add to the pan.
3) Chop all the remaining vegetables to a similar size to the onion and add to the pan. Cook them over a low heat until they begin to soften. This can take anywhere from 5-10 minutes depending on the freshness of the vegetables.
6) Serve with the chicken and ENJOY!
TOP TIP:
The left over ratatouille is fine to be frozen and this would mean the next time you fancy this dinner it would be super speedy! I like to use the left over chicken and ratatouille the following day as enchiladas, I just stir in some mexican spices (chilli, cumin or even a ready made enchilada seasoning), throw in the remaining chicken, wrap in corn tortillas, sprinkle with cheese and bake for around 20-30 minutes until the tortilla is crispy and the filling is warmed through. Of course, throwing on a low fat cheese would make this taste great with fewer calories but even better you could serve with low fat sour cream and a green salad.
