Chicken Tinga Rice

• 650 gboneless skinless chicken thighs, cut into large pieces
• 150 mlhot chicken stock
• 1red pepper, sliced
• 1 x 400gtin chopped tomatoes
• Fine salt, to taste
• 1onion, sliced
• 3garlic cloves, grated
• 1 tspsmoked paprika
• 1 tbsprunny honey
• 2 tbspolive oil
• 1 tbspchipotle paste (optional; skip for younger kids) (optional)
• 300 gbasmati rice, rinsed
• 15 gunsalted butter
• 15 mllime juice
• 4 tbspGreek yoghurt
• 15 gcoriander leaves, torn
• Finely grated lime zest (2 g)
• ½lime, cut into wedges, optional (optional)
• Black pepper, to taste

Method

1. 1Heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a large deep frying pan over a medium-high heat. Take a moment to dry the chicken. Use half this oil for each batch and fry in two batches for 5 minutes each until deeply golden; all at once and the pan crowds, water comes out, and you've stewed the chicken instead of searing it. Lift onto a plate.
2. 2Add the remaining oil to the pan and cook the onion and red pepper for 8 minutes until soft and starting to catch at the edges. Stir in the garlic, optional chipotle paste if using, and smoked paprika and fry for 60 seconds until fragrant.
3. 3Return the chicken and juices to the pan with the tomatoes, hot stock and honey. Simmer gently for 20–25 minutes until the chicken reaches 75°C for 30 seconds and pulls apart easily. Lift out, shred with two forks and stir back into the thickened sauce. Add a splash of water if the sauce catches before the chicken is tender.
4. 4While the tinga cooks, melt the butter in a saucepan over a medium heat, stir in the rinsed rice and lime zest for 1 minute until the grains smell nutty, then add 540 ml boiling water and a generous pinch of salt. Cover and simmer on the lowest heat for 12 minutes, then rest off the heat, lid on, for 5 minutes; the steam finishes the grains.
5. 5Stir the measured 15 ml lime juice into the tinga off the heat. Taste and adjust the salt and pepper.
6. 6Fluff the rice and divide between bowls. Spoon over the shredded chicken tinga, add the Greek yoghurt and finish with torn coriander. Serve the optional lime wedges alongside if using.

Per serving

kcal

648

protein

41.8g

fibre

4.2g

carbs

76.5g

fat

18.3g