Chicken tots

Line a baking sheet with foil, spray with a little oil and rub it over to coat.

Place the frozen tater tots by hand rather than dumping the bag, so crumbs and ice crystals stay behind; spray the tops with oil and spread them evenly.

Bake in the centre of a 425 degree oven for 30 minutes, five minutes longer than the package directions, until well browned and crisp.

Season the chicken thighs on both sides with salt, black pepper and cayenne.

Sear in melted butter in a skillet over medium-high heat about 3 or 4 minutes per side, until just barely cooked through and springing back to the touch; flatten any folded parts and pull any small piece out early.

Remove the chicken to a plate to rest.

In the fat left in the pan, cook the red onion and fresh pepper with a big pinch of salt, stirring or tossing a few minutes until browned at the edges and the onion turns translucent.

Remove a couple of tablespoons of the vegetables to reserve for garnish.

Add the minced garlic and toss about half a minute; add the sliced green onion and, if using, grate in a little lemon zest.

Deglaze with the juice of half a lemon, then add a big splash of chicken broth and any juices from the chicken plate.

Cook, stirring occasionally, 3 or 4 minutes until the liquid reduces, by about half as a rule of thumb.

Pour in the heavy cream, stir and bring back to a bubble.

Cut the chicken into bite-size pieces, add it, reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer, stirring, until heated through and the sauce is as thick as wanted, about 5 minutes.

Taste and add another pinch of salt if needed; turn off the heat and stir in about half a cup of shredded cheese, optional.

Put hot tater tots in a bowl, spoon over the creamy chicken with plenty of sauce, and top with more grated cheese, the reserved onion and pepper, and sliced green onion.