Chicken & sweet potato bites

• 500 g (1 lb 2 oz)ground (minced) chickenthigh or a mix of thigh and breast, so it stays moist; plain, with nothing added (check the label for salt, broth or seasoning)
• 1 mediumsweet potatoabout 250 g (9 oz)
• 2 tbspfinely chopped fresh parsleyoptional, leaves only
• 1 tbspvegetable or olive oilfor the tray

Steps

1. 1Wash your hands. Scrub the sweet potato under running water, peel it and cut it into chunks. Steam or boil the chunks for about 12 to 15 minutes, until very soft, then drain well, mash and let it cool for 15 minutes.
2. 2Heat the oven to 200°C (400°F) and line a baking tray. Rinse the parsley under running water, pat it dry, pick the leaves off the stems and chop them finely.
3. 3Mix the chicken, sweet potato and parsley in a bowl. Don't rinse raw chicken: washing it spreads bacteria, and only cooking kills them. Don't taste the raw mixture. Wash your hands, the bowl and anything else that touched raw chicken in hot, soapy water.
4. 4With damp hands, shape the mixture into fingers about 6–8 cm long and 2 cm wide (2½–3 × ¾ in), flattened rather than round. If it's too soft to shape, chill it for 15 minutes first. Place them on the tray and brush them lightly with the oil.
5. 5Bake for about 15 to 20 minutes, turning them halfway, until cooked through and 165°F (74°C) in the center of the thickest one, checked with a food thermometer. Don't judge doneness by color alone (see the US and UK note).
6. 6Let them cool on the tray. Break one open and squash it between your thumb and finger: it should be soft and moist. Trim off any crisp edges, and check they're only just warm before serving.