Chicken & turkey· GF · DF

Jerk Chicken Stew

Name: Jerk Chicken Stew
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 1 h 10 min
Total time: 1 h 30 min
Cuisine: Caribbean
Ingredients: 700g chicken thigh fillets, trimmed; 400g sweet potatoes, peeled and diced; 1 tin (240g drained) red kidney beans; 1 tin (400g) chopped tomatoes; 2 (250g) onions; 20ml dark soy sauce; 10g dark brown sugar; 1 chicken stock cube; 400ml water, for the stock; 10ml rapeseed oil; 3g salt; 1 (10g) scotch bonnet; 4 cloves garlic; 20g fresh ginger; 8g (3 tsp) ground allspice; 3g dried thyme; 2g black pepper; 3g paprika

Fiery scotch bonnet, allspice and thyme chicken stew with kidney beans and mashed sweet potato.

makes 20 blocks, about 34p each

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BatchJoy

batchjoy.com/recipes/jerk-chicken-stew/

Illustration of a bowl of Jerk Chicken Stew

Time: 1 hr 30 min20 min prep · 1 hr 10 min cook
Makes: 20 blocks
Cost per blockPer block: 34p
Calories per blockCalories: 94 kcal
Spice: 4 of 5

You’ll need

Batch size

blocks

700gchicken thigh fillets, trimmed
400gsweet potatoes, peeled and diced
1 tin (240g drained)red kidney beans
1 tin (400g)chopped tomatoes
2 (250g)onions
20mldark soy sauce
10gdark brown sugar
1chicken stock cube
400mlwater, for the stock
10mlrapeseed oil
3gsalt

For the paste

1 (10g)scotch bonnet
4 clovesgarlic
20gfresh ginger
8g (3 tsp)ground allspice
3gdried thyme
2gblack pepper
3gpaprika

or 3 tbsp (about 45g) jerk paste, blitzed with the onion and soy in step 1

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

Serve it

Rice and peas · A jacket potato with a spoon of yoghurt · A wrap with slaw

Method

Step 1: Blitz the scotch bonnet (deseed for less heat), half the onion, garlic, ginger, allspice, thyme, pepper, paprika and soy into a rough paste. Toss with the chicken. (10 min)
Step 2: Sear the chicken in the oil in a casserole until browned. Lift out. (8 min)
Step 3: Soften the remaining diced onion in the pan (6 min), then add the sweet potato, tomatoes, sugar and stock.
Step 4: Return the chicken, cover and simmer until the sweet potato collapses. (35 min)
Step 5: Shred the chicken in the pot, mash the sweet potato into the sauce with a masher, add the beans and simmer uncovered until thick. (20 min)
Step 6: Taste, season boldly, cool and freeze in 70g blocks.

Milder: deseed the scotch bonnet, or use half of one.

Nutrition (estimated)
	kcal	protein	carbs	fat	fibre	salt
Per block	94	8.5g	9.2g	2.5g	2.1g	0.62g
Per 3 blocks	282	25.5g	27.6g	7.5g	6.3g	1.86g

Cook’s notes

Reheating: finish with a squeeze of lime and sliced spring onion or fresh thyme.
Deseed the scotch bonnet for milder heat, and wear gloves when handling it.
Black-eyed peas or pigeon peas work instead of kidney beans.

Serve it

Rice and peas · A jacket potato with a spoon of yoghurt · A wrap with slaw.

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 282 kcal and 25.5g protein before rice, bread or potatoes.

Jerk Chicken Stew questions

Can I use chicken breast?

Thighs suit the long simmer best because they stay moist and shred easily. If you use breast, lift it out once it is cooked through, carry on until the sweet potato collapses, then shred it back in.

What if I can't find a scotch bonnet?

A habanero is the closest swap, with a similar fruity heat. Bird's eye chillies give heat but none of that fruitiness, so lean on the allspice and thyme for the jerk flavour.

Why mash the sweet potato into the sauce?

Mashed in, the sweet potato thickens the stew and makes it smooth, so it sets into neat blocks without any flour. It also adds a sweetness that balances the allspice and chilli.