Place the chicken thighs in a large mixing bowl. Finely grate in the zest from one lemon. Squeeze in the juice, then add two tablespoons of the olive oil, the garlic powder, dried oregano, sea salt and black pepper. Toss together well, really massaging the flavours into the chicken skin. (If you can, marinate the chicken in advance, and store it covered in the fridge for a couple of hours.)

When you are ready to cook the chicken, preheat your oven to 210°C/190°C fan/gas mark 6½. Take an ovenproof frying pan or flameproof casserole that’s wide enough to comfortably fit the chicken and drizzle in two tablespoons of olive oil. Add the chicken thighs, skin-side down, and place on a medium heat. You want to start in a cold pan, so that the fat renders and the skin starts to turn golden. You’re not cooking it through at this stage. When the skin is bronzing and starting to crisp, remove the chicken and leave, skin-side up, on a plate.

Add the butter to the pan, crush in the vermicelli and fry for 3–4 minutes, until deep golden-brown. Add the rice and stir thoroughly for a couple of minutes, so it gets coated in the butter, then pour in the chicken stock. Season generously and bring to the boil for a few minutes, then nestle in the chicken, so the meat is submerged in the stock but the skin is above the surface, so it can crisp up. Place the pan in the oven and cook for 35–40 minutes, until the rice is tender and the chicken is browned, crisp-skinned and cooked through. (Check it after about 15–20 minutes, and top up with 200ml of water, if it looks like it’s drying out.)

While the chicken is in the oven, make the dip. Halve, deseed and finely slice the chillies. Peel and finely slice the garlic. Place a small pan on a medium heat, add enough oil to just cover the base and fry the chillies and garlic for a minute or so, just till lightly golden, then remove from the heat. Break the feta up in a bowl and mash in the Greek yoghurt. Using a fork will be easiest, it’ll bit a little grainy but keep going. Stir in the mayonnaise and finely grate in the kefalotyri. Finely grate in the zest of the remaining lemon. Stir the fried chilli and garlic into the feta dip and squeeze in the juice of half of the lemon. Mix everything well. Taste and adjust the seasoning, adding more lemon, salt and pepper as needed.

Serve the chicken and rice with the dip on the side or drizzled over the top, perhaps with some lemon wedges. However you have it, it’s very good.