21 August 2013

* Chicken Chilli

Chicken Chilli Recipe
Because I knew I was going to be out all day today, I cooked dinner in advance - I'm not normally this organised, but I have my moments... and they never last. I made a chicken chilli, because I didn't know what we'd be eating today and knew we could have it with or without rice/bread etc, depending on how hungry we were both were.

You wanna know where I've been? You do?!? ... I have spent an entire day sitting in my cousin's garden in Newquay - in the sunshine - with my weird and wonderful family. They are mostly women with a few men thrown in to prevent any fits of uncontrollable girliness... though occasionally it slips through in the form of a blinged up Dorkie.

We've eaten barbecued hot dogs and chips... and trifle. I loooooove trifle. Never quite liked the idea of it as a kid and apparently kicked up merry hell whenever my mum used to put it on the table... then always asked for a second helping. I don't make trifle at home because I love it with a layer of custard, and Neil doesn't eat custard. Neil doesn't like being in the same room as custard. His face distorts into an "I don't like custard" grimace and his whole body physically shudders.

When he does this, I have a hard time not throwing stuff at him. He has never been able to say a polite "No thankyou" if he doesn't like something. He pulls out the whole "I don't like custard" facial/body move at every opportunity - even when faced with something like strawberry ice cream...

Him - "What's for dessert?"

Me (from the kitchen) - "Sod all."

Him - "What. Nufink?" He's common.

Me (opening up freezer to have a gander - I'm common too) - "Errr... there's some strawberry ice cream if you want it....?"

Him - lip curls up, shoulders suddenly appear by ears as if to protect them from the infiltration of strawberry ice cream... aaaannnddd.... "I don't like strawberry ice cream" aaaaand whole body shudders... shoulders relax... lip moves back into normal place.

Me (still in kitchen) - "Did you just pull an "I don't like custard" face? With the body shudder? DID YOU?!?"

Him - "Nnnnnno."

Liar.

Anyway, we had a fab day with fab company and fab food and then we came home and ate this.

It was lush.

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Chicken Chilli Recipe

Serves 6

Prep time - 10 minutes
Cooking time - 45 minutes
Total time - 55 minutes

You will need
A large skillet/pan with lid

Ingredients
1 tbsp olive oil
1 onion - finely diced
3 cloves garlic - crushed
1 green chilli - deseeded and finely diced
pinch of chilli flakes
1lb/450g uncooked chicken breast - diced bite size
1 tsp cumin
1 tsp paprika
1 tsp dried oregano
1 red bell pepper - diced
1 green bell pepper - diced
3 stalks celery - diced
14oz can chopped tomatoes
3oz tomato paste/puree
200ml water (swish the tomato tin out with it)
14oz can black beans - drained and rinsed
salt and pepper

Method
  • Heat oil in the pan and gently saute the onions until beginning to soften, then throw in the garlic. Putting the lid on helps to speed up the process and use less oil.
  • Stir in the green chilli and chilli flakes and cook for a minute, then add the cumin, paprika and oregano and cook for another two minutes.
  • Add the chopped chicken and cook, stirring until almost no pink is visible.
  • Stir in the peppers and celery and cook for maybe 2 minutes, just to slightly soften them.
  • Add the canned tomatoes, water (swished through tin), tomato paste and beans - bring to a boil then drop to a simmer.
  • Cover and simmer for 30 minutes. 
  • If you want a thicker sauce, remove the lid after 20 minutes and cook with the lid off for the last 10.
  • Season to taste.
  • Serve with rice or garlic bread.

EAT

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12 comments :

  1. this looks delicious...I haven't try Chicken Chilli before,but love to try different chicken recipes,Now this recipe is in my mind to try on next time....adding of black beans is a great idea!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thanks, Amila - it's always nice to try something new, isn't it - the black beans went in the pot to use them up so's I could buy more ;-) Happily, they worked!

      Delete
  2. Delicious! Save a bowl for me. I'm coming over to eat this this ..and strawberry ice-cream. I like Neil. It means more ice-cream for us..lol ;)

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thanks, Sharon!

      I know, he really has the strangest hang ups when it comes to food ;-) I shall tell him you like him, but I can't tell him why. If he finds out I blogged about his "custard face" I'll be in sooooooooo much trouble!

      Delete
  3. This looks absolutely delish! Abbe you have taken your site up notches since you first started! Great work hon - love the photography skills too (but you were always good at that) :).

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. WHERE HAVE YOU BEEEEEEEEEN??????? My ego has needed stroking and you gone done did disappeared all over on me.

      I love you, Rebecca - thankyou so very much XXXXX

      Hope you are well? x

      Delete
    2. ROFL! I love you too sweetums! Hmmm, where have I been? We-ell that's a long story but...I'll tell ya anyway! :D Nah, seriously, I'm still on the net just in a different place. I've been focusing a lot on my inspirational faith web site; Facebook and occasionally (cough) I've found time to update my weight-loss journey (70 lbs lighter thank you very much!). But I've been even busier just trying to burn the rest of me off. Losing weight while eating well is hard work!

      I've missed you, your writing, your piccies and your smile (still a winner m'dear). Is that enough stroking? Te-hehehe

      Delete
    3. It's never enough ;-)

      I can see from your photo how you have become EVEN MORE beautiful. Well done with your weight loss journey, dear heart. You're right, it really is hard to lose weight whilst eating well, but whatever you are doing keep doing it.

      I miss you whackadoodles and splodges too, you carry the warm fuzzies with you always xx

      Delete
  4. Alrighty, there, Abbe . . . I made this recipe yesterday. I tweaked it just a hair -- I used canellini beans because they were what I had, ground chicken because I'm lazy & I didn't feel like dicing up whole breasts, and the canned tomatoes I had were the kind with chiles included -- but otherwise . . . ? MAGNIFICENT!! I don't have a whole lot left over, because everyone had seconds (at least). My youngest even chose to have some today after school, and she rarely eats leftovers, especially voluntarily!

    In closing . . . 4 stars. Or 5. Or 8 . . . however many mean AWESOME in foodie-speak. ;-)

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I'm dead glad you all enjoyed it - I'm a firm believer in *recipes as guidlines* and not laws! Love the tweaks you made, will have to try them myself.

      11. You have to give me an 11 ;-)

      Delete

Thanks for dropping in to read my recipes (and ramblings). I love it when you let me know what you think - so please leave a comment and I promise to take the time to reply!

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