Spiced Mexican Chicken Stew with Oranges

Spiced Mexican Chicken Stew with Oranges

Serves: 2

Ingredients

• 10g ancho chillies

• 10g chipotle chillies

• 1tsp cumin seeds

• 1 1/2tsp oregano

• 1 1/2tsp fennel seeds

• 1tsp smoked Spanish paprika ( normal paprika is fine too )

• 1 small fresh chilli, finely minced

• 2 garlic cloves, minced

• 1 small red onion, diced

• 1/2 red bell pepper, sliced

• 180ml orange juice ( 100% )

• juice from one lime, save the skins

• 100ml sherry

• 1 chicken stock cube

• 2 heaped teaspoons of honey

• 1tsp balsamic vinegar

• 300g sweet potato, cut into chunks

• 2 chicken breasts, diced

• coriander, to serve

Method

- set an oven, and fan, to 160 degrees Celsius.

- Place a medium-sized frying pan over medium-high heat.

- Break up the dried chillies into the pan and add 20ml water ( or a splash ).

- Once fragrant and lightly toasted, remove the pan from the heat and add the chillies to a blender, along with the remaining paste ingredients.

- Blend until everything comes together to form a choppy paste.

- Heat 1 tbsp of oil in a casserole dish over a medium-high. Once hot ( about 2 minutes ), add the chicken pieces. Stir briefly then cover with the lid of the dish.

- Add the onions and peppers to the chicken and stir everything together. Add a splash of water. and generously season with salt and pepper.

- Add in the paste to the casserole dish and stir so that the paste coats everything evenly.

- Add the orange and lime juice. Add in the sherry and then the stock cube. Pop in the skin of the two lime halves. Stir everything briefly.

- Add in the honey and balsamic vinegar.

- Stir ( yet again ) then cover. Place into the preheated oven for 1 1/2 hours. Make sure to stir every 20-30 minutes to ensure the dish is not too dry. Add more water if needed and cook extra if after the time is up, the sauce is too watery for liking.

- Serve with a sprinkle of orange zest ( optional ) and coriander.