Go-Faster Nutrition: Chilli chocolate chicken with quinoa

Here’s Kate Percy’s step-by-step guide to 220 Triathlon’s issue 294 recipe.

Serves 4
Prep time 10mins
Cooking time 70mins
Equipment Pestle & mortar (or food processor), large flameproof casserole
dish, saucepan

INGREDIENTS
 250g quinoa
 2 dried chillies      
 50g raisins            
 8 free-range bone-in chicken thighs or legs
 Salt and freshly ground black pepper
 2 tbsp coconut or sunflower oil
 2 onions, peeled and finely sliced
 1 cinnamon stick
 2tsp ground coriander
 2tsp ground cumin
 ¼tsp ground cloves
 3 garlic cloves, peeled and crushed
 1 heaped tbsp peanut, cashew
or almond butter
 1tsp chilli paste (optional)
 zest of ½ an orange
 400g can of chopped tomatoes
 500ml chicken stock
 25g dark chocolate (that has at least
70% cocoa solids)
 Juice of one lime
 25g fresh coriander, roughly chopped
 Soured cream and lime wedges to serve

Put the chillies and raisins in a small bowl, cover with boiling water and leave for 10min. Then blend – or bash with a pestle and mortar – to a smooth paste. Season the chicken. Heat 1tbsp oil in a casserole dish and brown the chicken, turning frequently to seal all over. Remove and set aside. Add another tbsp of oil to the casserole and sauté the onions until soft. Stir in the cinnamon stick, coriander, cumin and cloves and cook for 1min. Return chicken to the casserole and remove from heat.

Add this to the casserole with the garlic, nut butter, chilli paste (if using), orange zest and tomatoes. Pour in enough stock to cover everything. Return the casserole to the heat and bring to the boil. Cover, reduce to a simmer and cook for 45mins or until the sauce is thick and the chicken is cooked through. Meanwhile, prepare the quinoa according to the instructions on the pack.

Add the chocolate and continue to cook, uncovered, on a low heat for 15mins. If the sauce is too thick, add more stock or water. Stir in the lime juice and check for seasoning. Sprinkle with coriander and serve with the quinoa, a dollop of soured cream and lime wedges.

Nutrition per serving
Energy 618kcal Protein 34.5g
Carbohydrate 65g (sugars 21g)    
Fat 25g (saturates 7g) Salt 1.8g Fibre 8.8g