Chicken Chilli with Cheese
– New recipe/How to Cheat

This is a derivation of a derivation of an original Mexican recipe. It is a delightfully refreshing change from the bog-standard supermarket chilli which, since price is god nowadays, includes compulsory (and very boring) boiled rice with rather less chilli. The following can be made in about 35 minutes and needs very little attention during that time. Serve it with spiced basmati rice and lime quarters to squeeze over the chicken. Oh, and don’t forget that Tesco have the best cooked chicken.

Serves 4

Ingredients

2 largish cooked chicken breasts
1 x 410 g tin cooked pinto or borlotti beans
1 small green pepper
1 medium-hot long green chilli
2 cloves of garlic
1 medium onion
15 fl oz (425 ml) stock made with Marigold Swiss vegetable bouillon powder
1 rounded tablespoon flour
1 level teaspoon cumin seeds
1 x 20 g pack fresh coriander
3 oz (75g) ready-grated mozzarella
1 tablespoon groundnut oil
salt

To serve:

1 fresh lime, cut into quarters

The preparation will take about 10 minutes: all you do is remove the skin and cut the chicken into smallish, bite-sized chunks. Next use a mini-chopper (or a grown-up processor) to chop the pepper, onion, garlic and de-seeded chilli – use the pulse button so as not to let it get too fine.

Now crush the cumin seeds with a pestle and mortar (or the back of a tablespoon on a flat surface). Heat a medium shallow cooking pan, add the crushed cumin seeds and let them toast a bit to draw out the flavour. Then add the oil and, when it’s sizzling, add the onion and pepper mixture.

Cook these, tossing them around the pan, for about 5 minutes to take on some colour, then stir in the flour, and once it has soaked in add the stock – stirring the whole time – then add the chicken and the beans (the latter need to be rinsed well under cold running water first).

Now add salt, put a lid on and let the whole lot simmer gently for 20 minutes, then add the grated cheese. Stir well and let it simmer (this time without a lid) for a further 15 minutes. Finally, just before serving, chop the coriander leaves and stir them in.

How to Cheat Hero Ingredients: