Chicken with ginger marmalade. Yes, really.

If you have decided to read past the title then I am thankful. I know this is not the most tempting-sounding recipe in the world. After all, marmalade is something best eaten on hot buttered toast for breakfast, is it not?

But here, you're eyes do not deceive you, I have decided to dish it up with a juicy chicken breast. Have I gone mad?

Indeed, it would be totally understandable if I had gone mad. Having been ill all week, I finally decided to venture out this afternoon in order to rent a DVD with which to console myself as I missed a rather fun birthday party. Upon reaching the car, I discovered that it had been broken into. For the THIRD time in two years and the second time in six months. Each time I've had to have the door replaced and the entire car resprayed. As you can understand, in the immortal words of Queen Victoria; 'we are not amused'.

Having called the police and filed a report I then traipsed to the video shop only to discover that it had closed down earlier in the week. Again I tell you: 'we are not amused'.

Anyway, I'm still not fully recovered and am existing on a deeply uninspiring diet of toast, eggs and soup. So I thought I'd share a few things that I cooked up last week. Where better to start than with some marmalade-glazed chicken, I ask you?

With corn-on-the-cob, that's where. I'll woo you with this lovely butter-laden corn and you won't even notice the seamless transition to marmaladey chicken.

Corn is in season and it is delicious. If you haven't been eating it by the bucketful then I conclude that a) you don't like sweetcorn or b) you don't like sweetcorn.

If, however, like me, you think it is wonderful stuff, buy it with the husk attached and remove this and the silky threads before boiling until tender. You can grill it too. But how you actually cook it is of no interest to me (...or of little interest...). What I'm all about is the butter in which you smother it. After all, corn-on-the-cob is the ideal vehicle for the stuff, is it not?

My latest thing is to flavour the butter. A favourite is lime, chili and coriander. You can make a nice roll of it and keep it in the freezer - just slice of little rounds as and when you need it. It is great with fish too. However, the cob you see in the picture is enhanced with a very simple flavoured butter. I simply melted the butter with a generous pinch of smoked paprika. Just delicious with the corn.

Oh - one more thing before I go on to the chicken dish - isn't this rainbow chard lovely? I served this with the chicken - just cooked it in a saucepan with a little garlic and some olive oil. I started with the stalks as they took a little longer to soften and then just wilted the leaves as I would spinach. Very tasty.

And now... The moment you've all been waiting for... The marmalade chicken....

It is not so crazy, you know. Duck is good with orangey things. Why not chicken? (Because chicken is totally different to duck is not an acceptable or helpful answer here incidentally).

The recipe came from a little supplement that came with BBC Good Food magazine which was called something along the lines of '101 things to do with chicken'. Actually it wasn't called that at all, but I am now unable to lay my hands on it.

You can use any kind of orange marmalade for this - mine just happened to be laden with ginger too. It thought it all the better for it. The chicken was lovely and sticky but wonderfully moist too. It was so good, that I'm almost loathe to spread the remaining marmalde on my morning toast. I might just save it for the chicken.

My ratios are slightly different to the recipe, so I give my version here...

Sticky ginger marmalade chicken
Serves 2

2 skinless chicken breasts
1/2 pint of chicken stock
2 heaped tablespoons of marmalade with ginger
pinch of chilli flakes

1. Heat a little olive oil in a pan and fry the chicken breasts for approx 10 minutes until golden, turning once and seasoning with salt and pepper as you go.

2. Pour in the stock and marmalade, giving everything a good stir to combine. Sprinkle over the chilli and then simmer gently for around 5 minutes. You want the sauce to become sticky and syrupy. If it reduces too much too quickly, add a little more stock. You want a little syrupy liquid to pour over. Taste and season as necessary.

3. Remove chicken from the pan to a plate and spoon over the syrup sauce. Serve, perhaps with fluffy mash and greens.

Don't forget: There is still plenty of time to think up a great entry for my exciting blogging event 'The British Food Fortnight Challenge'. The details can be found in my previous post - I hope you have thinking caps on as I can't wait to see your entries!