Mexican Popcorn Chicken, Halloumi & Garlic Rice
with Corn-Tomato Salsa & Hot Sauce
- Eggs
- Soy
- Milk
Tonight’s chicken is really ‘popping off’ (please forgive the pun). A touch of heat and fun Mexican-inspired flavours come together to create chicken that will be popping with flavour (sorry we couldn’t help it). Add some garlic rice and a smokey sweetcorn and tomato salsa and it’s bound to be a pop-ular dish (okay we’re done now).
Ingredients
1 packet
Smokey Aioli
(Contains: Eggs, Soy)
1
Tomato
1 tin
Sweetcorn
1 sachet
Coriander
320 g
Chicken Thigh
1 packet
Baby Spinach Leaves
1 sachet
Mexican Fiesta Spice Blend
1 packet
Basmati Rice
2
Garlic
1 packet
Cornflour
1
Hot Sauce
1 packet
Halloumi
(Contains: Milk)
Nutrition
Utensils
Cooking Steps
• Finely chop garlic. • In a medium saucepan, heat the butter with a dash of olive oil over medium heat. Cook garlic until fragrant, 1-2 minutes. • Add basmati rice, the water and a generous pinch of salt, stir, then bring to the boil. • Reduce heat to low and cover with a lid. • Cook for 10 minutes, then remove from heat and keep covered until rice is tender and water is absorbed, 10 minutes. TIP: The rice will finish cooking in its own steam so don’t peek!
• Meanwhile, roughly chop tomato and baby leaves. • Drain sweetcorn. • Cut chicken thigh into 2cm chunks. Cut halloumi into 1cm-thick slices.
• Heat a large frying pan over high heat. Cook sweetcorn until lightly browned, 4-5 minutes. Transfer to a medium bowl. • SPICY! The spice blend is hot! Add less if you're sensitive to heat. Meanwhile, combine Mexican Fiesta spice blend, a pinch of salt and a drizzle of olive oil in a second medium bowl. Add chicken and toss to coat. Set aside. TIP: Cover the pan with a lid if the corn kernels are ‘popping’ out.
• Add cornflour and the plain flour to the chicken and toss to coat. • Return frying pan to high heat with enough olive oil to coat the base of the pan. • When oil is hot, dust off any excess flour from chicken, then cook, tossing occasionally, until browned and cooked through, 5-6 minutes. • Transfer to a paper towel-lined plate. • Return frying pan to high heat with a drizzle of olive oil. When oil is hot, cook halloumi until golden brown, 1-2 minutes each side. Transfer to a paper towel-lined plate. TIP: Chicken is cooked through when it’s no longer pink inside.
• Meanwhile, to the bowl of charred corn, add tomato, baby leaves and a drizzle of white wine vinegar and olive oil. • Season to taste and toss to combine.
• Divide garlic rice and charred corn-tomato salsa between bowls. • Top with Mexican popcorn chicken, halloumi and dollop over smokey aioli to serve. Enjoy!
Customer reviews
Review summary
Updated on Aug 2026- Flavour: Reviewers found this a flavourful, family-friendly dish with a great combination of ingredients and a standout smokey aioli.
- Ease of prep: The cooking method was approachable and introduced a fun new way to prepare chicken.
