A naughty garlic twist on the high -street classic recipe for two.

Peri peri chicken. It’s a crowd pleaser, a Friday night winner, a slam dunk. So what could possibly make a peri peri chicken burger for dinner any better?

Enter: garlic bread. Just imagine it, juicy spicy chicken drenched in melted Monterey Jack cheese and topped with sticky jalapeño jam, sandwiched in between two pieces of garlic ciabatta bread.

I have never really fed into the hype of that well known peri peri high street brand (you know the one), but that doesn’t mean I don’t appreciate a decent piece of saucy, spicy chicken. I’ll be honest – I would rather whip it up at home. (I am sure the fact I live where deliveries of such popular restaurant brands is non existent plays a part in this.) You can quite easily pick up a branded peri peri sauce off the shelves in your chosen supermarket for a fraction of the price, and there’s no need to wait in a heaving restaurant waiting for a chance at a free table.

Anyway, back to the real star of this dinner recipe. Swapping a normal bun for a garlicky ciabatta slice is a total game changer here. It takes this Friday night dinner recipe from a homage to your favourite brand, to a complete knockout dish. That’s before we get to the smashed avocado.

The addition of extra butter in this recipe might be a treat in your household, and that’s totally ok. So pop this on your meal plan for your cheat night and thank me later.

Recipe ingredients

• 2 chicken breasts
• 2 ciabatta rolls
• 6 tablespoons of peri-peri sauce
• Half of a small red onion
• 2 tablespoons of butter
• 3 garlic cloves
• 3 tablespoons of mayonnaise
• 2 slices of Monterey Jack cheese
• 1 avocado
• 1 lime
• 2 teaspoons of jalapeño jam
• 1 teaspoon of parsley
• 1 teaspoon of paprika
• 1 tsp of garlic powder
• Sprinkle of chilli flakes
• Sprinkle of dried chives
• 2 leaves of iceberg lettuce
• Salt & pepper
• Olive oil

Cooking utensils

• A good size pan
• 2 baking trays
• Chopping boards
• Sharp knives
• Mixing bowl
• Kitchen tongs
• 2 normal bowls
• Clingfilm or baking parchment paper
• A rolling pin

1. Preheat your oven to 180 degrees.
2. Butterfly your chicken breasts and cover with your clingfilm or parchment paper. Bash your chicken breasts with your rolling pin until they are a couple of centimetres thick.
3. Season your chicken with salt, pepper, garlic powder and paprika. Then pop the breasts in a mixing bowl and cover with 4 tablespoons of peri peri sauce, leaving to marinate in the fridge for at least 15 minutes.
4. Put your ciabatta rolls onto a baking tray before putting in the oven for about 5 minutes, just to firm the rolls up a little.
5. Whilst everything is marinating and your rolls are baking, slice your red onion and put aside. Then thinly dice your garlic and add to one of your empty bowls.
6. Add your butter and parsley to the garlic and give it a stir.
7. Chop up your avocado, mash into a bowl and add juice of your lime and a sprinkle of chilli flakes.
8. Don’t forget to take your ciabatta rolls out of the oven and let them cool a little.
9. Add your garlic butter onto your cooled ciabatta rolls and toast them in the oven for a further minute, then put to the side.
10. Heat olive oil in a pan on a medium to high heat and add your marinated chicken breasts. You want to cook them on both sides for about 6 minutes, letting them achieve a desirable charred effect.
11. Once your chicken is done, place onto a baking tray, add a further tablespoon of peri peri sauce before topping with a slice of cheese and adding to the oven for a few minutes.
12. Now time for your spicy mayo. Simply mix mayonnaise with the last tablespoon of peri peri sauce and a tablespoon of hot sauce.
13. Assembly time. First, spread your mayonnaise on the bottom ciabatta roll, add your lettuce and then your smashed avocado. Then on goes the saucy cheesy chicken, topped with jalapeño jam, red onion and a sprinkle of chives. Ciabatta lid goes on and voila. You’re in for a treat with this one.

Tasty tips!

• Want to reduce the naughty factor of this meal just a little? Omit the cheese, but enjoy that flavoursome garlic bread.
• If you’re like me and hate chopping garlic, get your hands on a handy garlic grinder just like this one. Honestly, your life won’t be the same.
• You could quite easily take advantage of an air fryer if you own one for this recipe. It’s perfect to cook your garlic ciabatta.
• Complete this Friday night recipe with a side of peri peri fries, salad or Mexican rice.