Pulled Chicken in Tomato and Chipotle Sauce

• 2 tbspolive oil
• 2onions, sliced
• 2red peppers, sliced
• 4garlic cloves, crushed
• 1 tbspground cumin
• 2 tspsmoked paprika
• 2 tspdried oregano
• 3 tbspchipotle paste
• 2 tbsptomato puree
• 2 x 400gtins chopped tomatoes
• 300mlchicken stock
• 1.2kgboneless skinless chicken thighs
• 60 mllime juice
• 30 gcoriander leaves, torn
• fine salt
• black pepper
• 1/2white cabbage (about 600g), finely shredded
• 1red onion, thinly sliced
• 2 tbspextra virgin olive oil
• 24small corn tortillas, about 25 g each, 600 g total
• 200gsoured cream (optional)

Method

1. 1Heat the olive oil in your largest casserole over a medium heat. Cook the onions and peppers with a pinch of salt for 10 minutes until soft and golden at the edges.
2. 2Stir in the garlic, cumin, paprika, oregano, chipotle paste and tomato puree for 2 minutes until the spices smell toasty and the paste has darkened.
3. 3Add the tomatoes and stock with a little salt and bring to a simmer. Season the chicken thighs with salt and pepper and lay them into the sauce whole. Cover and simmer gently for 40 minutes, turning the chicken halfway, until it is cooked through with no pink and shreds easily when pressed with a fork.
4. 4Lift the chicken onto a board and shred it with two forks. Boil the sauce hard for 5 minutes until it has thickened enough to coat a spoon, then return the chicken and stir until every strand is coated. Add the 30 ml lime juice and half the coriander, then taste; chipotle paste varies in heat and salt, so add salt or more paste to suit.
5. 5Toss the cabbage and red onion with the remaining 30 ml lime juice, the extra virgin olive oil, the rest of the coriander and a good pinch of salt. Leave it for 10 minutes while you warm the tortillas so the cabbage softens slightly and turns glossy.
6. 6Warm the tortillas in a dry frying pan for 30 seconds a side until soft and charred in patches, and wrap them in a tea towel to keep warm.
7. 7Pile the chicken into the tortillas with the slaw on top and a spoon of soured cream if you like.
8. 8Cool the rest of the chicken within 2 hours and freeze in portions for up to 3 months; the slaw does not freeze, so make it fresh each time. Defrost overnight in the fridge and reheat on the hob with a splash of water, stirring, until piping hot.

Per serving

kcal

515

protein

38.4g

fibre

10.8g

carbs

54.5g

fat

16.1g