Chicken & turkey

Chicken Afritada

Name: Chicken Afritada
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 50 min
Total time: 1 h 10 min
Cuisine: Filipino
Ingredients: 700g chicken thigh fillets, 3cm pieces; 250g potatoes, peeled, 2cm dice; 200g carrots, 2cm dice; 1 (160g) red pepper, 2cm pieces; 1 (150g) onion, chopped; 4 cloves (20g) garlic, crushed; 1 × 400g tin chopped tomatoes; 30g (2 tbsp) tomato purée; 20ml fish sauce; 150g frozen peas; 2 bay leaves; 1g black pepper; 10ml rapeseed oil; 1 cube chicken stock cube; 200ml water

A comforting Filipino tomato stew of chicken thighs, potato, carrot, red pepper and peas, seasoned with fish sauce and bay.

makes 25 blocks, about 29p each

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Illustration of a bowl of Chicken Afritada

Time: 1 hr 10 min20 min prep · 50 min cook
Makes: 25 blocks
Cost per blockPer block: 29p
Calories per blockCalories: 63 kcal
Fibre per blockFibre: 1.1g

Ingredients

Batch size

blocks

700gchicken thigh fillets, 3cm pieces
250gpotatoes, peeled, 2cm dice
200gcarrots, 2cm dice
1 (160g)red pepper, 2cm pieces
1 (150g)onion, chopped
4 cloves (20g)garlic, crushed
1 × 400g tinchopped tomatoes
30g (2 tbsp)tomato purée
20mlfish sauce
150gfrozen peas
2bay leaves
1gblack pepper
10mlrapeseed oil
1 cubechicken stock cube
200mlwater

Allergens: Fish. Check the labels on stock cubes, sauces and pastes, as brands vary.

Nutrition

estimated

	1 block	3 blocks
Energy	63 kcal	189 kcal
Protein	6.3g	18.9g
Carbs	5g	15g
Fat	2.1g	6.3g
Fibre	1.1g	3.3g
Salt	0.44g	1.32g

Method

Step 1: Heat the oil in a large casserole over a medium-high heat and brown the chicken in two batches, then lift out. (10 min)
Step 2: Soften the onion in the same pan over a medium heat for 5 minutes, then add the garlic and tomato purée and cook for 1 minute.
Step 3: Add the tomatoes, fish sauce, water, stock cube, bay leaves and pepper, then return the chicken with the potatoes and carrots. Cover and simmer gently for 20 minutes.
Step 4: Add the red pepper and simmer uncovered for 10 minutes until the potatoes are tender and the sauce has thickened.
Step 5: Stir in the peas for 2 minutes and remove the bay leaves.
Step 6: Taste for salt, then cool and freeze in 70g blocks.

Serve it

Steamed white rice · Crusty bread to mop up the sauce · Rice with stir-fried green beans

Nutrition (estimated)
	kcal	protein	carbs	fat	fibre	salt
Per block	63	6.3g	5g	2.1g	1.1g	0.44g
Per 3 blocks	189	18.9g	15g	6.3g	3.3g	1.32g

Cook’s notes

Keep the potato and carrot in 2cm dice so they cook through in time and hold their shape in the blocks.
Soy sauce works instead of fish sauce in the same amount; use tamari to keep it gluten-free.
Pork shoulder works the same way: simmer it for an extra 30 minutes before adding the vegetables.

Serve it

Steamed white rice · Crusty bread to mop up the sauce · Rice with stir-fried green beans.

Freeze, reheat and serve

Freeze: Cool it within two hours, portion it into 70g blocks in a silicone tray, then bag and label them. It keeps for 3 months.
Reheat: Microwave 3 blocks, covered, for 1 minute, stir, then heat for another 1 to 2 minutes until piping hot all the way through. Or warm them in a pan with a splash of water. Never refreeze thawed blocks.
A portion: 3 blocks (210g) make a dinner for one adult: about 189 kcal and 18.9g protein before rice, bread or potatoes.

Chicken Afritada questions

How is afritada different from menudo and caldereta?

All three are Filipino tomato stews. Afritada is the plainest, with chicken or pork, potato, carrot and pepper; menudo uses diced pork and liver, and caldereta is richer, usually made with beef or goat and liver spread.

Can I use passata instead of chopped tomatoes?

Many Filipino cooks use a smooth tomato sauce, so 400g passata works well. The sauce will be smoother and need a few minutes less simmering uncovered.

Can I use chicken breast?

Breast works but dries out more easily than thigh. Brown it, set it aside, and return it with the red pepper so it simmers for about 12 minutes rather than 30.