This recipe means a lot to me – it was one of the first stews I learned to make as a student and was one of the early staple recipes of xavskitchen, setting the pace for the stews to come. When I got to uni, my mother gave me a set of chipotle pastes as part of a settling-in parcel, and my experiments with them led me to this. The paste is the secret: it packs such an incredible flavour.
Method
Based on 4 servings, adjust as needed.
Step 1
In a large bowl, mix together most of the extra virgin olive oil, two thirds of the smoked paprika and half od the ground cumin , salt and the skin-on chicken drumsticks and thighs pieces and stir until they are well coated. Cover the bowl and let the chicken marinate for 20 minutes, if you have time. If not, you can use it right away.
Step 2
Heat up a large stew pot on a high heat and add the sunflower oil. Once hot, add all the chicken pieces and sear for 2 minutes on each side, until golden brown all over (do this in batches, if necessary). Remove the chicken from the pot and set aside.
Step 3
Lower the heat to medium and add the onion and a pinch of salt to the pot. Sauté for 4 minutes, then add the garlic, tomato purée and a third of the chipotle paste and cook for 5 minutes, until the mixture is catching on parts of the bottom of the pot (this is where the flavour comes in). Deglaze the pot with the white wine and simmer until reduced by half (about 5 minutes), as you scrape off the stuck bits on the bottom of the pot.
Step 4
Add the passata, chicken stock, oregano, the remaining paprika and ground cumin, bring the liquid to the boil, then add the chicken back in, and cover the pot with the lid. Cook the chicken for 20 minutes, then remove the lid and add the potato and sweet potato. Simmer the stew, uncovered, for 10 minutes while you cook the rice in a separate pan. After 10 minutes, add the frozen peas and simmer for another 5 minutes, until the stew is thickened and the peas are hot through.
Step 5
Serve the stew with chopped coriander, cooked rice, avocado, and lime wedges to squeeze over.