* Chicken Chilli

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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