Jerk-Spiced Chicken Stew with Beans

• 1.2 kgboneless skinless chicken thighs, cut into 3 cm chunks
• 2 tspground allspice
• 8 gfresh thyme leaves
• 1/2 tspground cinnamon
• 1/4 tspground nutmeg
• 2 tbspolive oil
• 2onions, chopped
• 2red peppers, cut into chunks
• 5garlic cloves, crushed
• 30gginger, grated
• 6spring onions, whites and greens sliced separately
• 1 tbspsoft brown sugar
• 2 x 400gtins chopped tomatoes
• 500mlchicken stock
• 800gsweet potatoes, peeled and cut into 3cm chunks
• 3 x 400gtins kidney beans, drained and rinsed
• 60 mllime juice
• fine salt
• black pepper
• 500 gdried basmati rice
• 1Scotch bonnet chilli, deseeded and very finely sliced, for the table (optional)

Method

1. 1Toss the chicken with the allspice, half the thyme leaves, the cinnamon, nutmeg, a teaspoon of salt and a lot of black pepper until every piece is coated. That rub, plus a hard sear, is where the jerk flavour comes from.
2. 2Heat the olive oil in a large casserole over high heat. Brown the chicken in three batches for 5–6 minutes per batch, turning to colour the edges, then set aside.
3. 3Turn the heat to medium and cook the onions and peppers for 10 minutes until soft and catching at the edges. Stir in the garlic, ginger, spring onion whites, sugar and the rest of the thyme for 1 minute until fragrant.
4. 4Add the tomatoes, stock and sweet potatoes, then return the chicken with its juices. Bring to a simmer and cook with the lid half on for 25 minutes, stirring now and then, until the sweet potato is tender and the chicken is cooked to 75°C for 30 seconds in the thickest pieces.
5. 5Add the drained kidney beans and simmer for 5 minutes until piping hot and the sauce coats the sweet potato. Stir in 60 ml lime juice and the spring onion greens. Taste before adding salt and pepper.
6. 6Meanwhile, cook the rice according to the packet. The listed 500 g serves eight; use 62.5 g dry rice per person if saving some stew. Serve with the optional sliced Scotch bonnet at the table.
7. 7Cool leftover stew within 2 hours and freeze in portions for up to 3 months. Defrost overnight in the fridge and reheat until piping hot throughout, adding water if needed. Cook rice fresh when serving saved stew.

Per serving

kcal

718

protein

46.8g

fibre

13.3g

carbs

106.8g

fat

11.3g