Spicy Mexican Chicken
with Homemade Refried Beans
In this flavoursome Mexican recipe you'll learn how to butterfly chicken. It's a great time-saving technique as it means the meat cooks through quicker. And anything that gets dinner on the table sooner is a good thing, right?
1
Red Pepper
1
Yellow Pepper
1
Shallot
½
Coriander
½
Green Chilli
1
Mixed Beans
½
Chicken Stock Pot
1
Mexican Spice
2
British Chicken Breasts
½
Lime
50
Water
2
Olive Oil
Preheat your oven to 220°C. Have and remove the cores from the peppers and cut them into roughly 1cm slices. Halve, peel and finely chop the shallot. Zest the lime. Roughly chop the coriander (stalks and all). Halve, deseed and finely chop the green chilli. Drain and rinse the mixed beans in a colander.
Put the peppers on a baking tray. Drizzle over some oil, season with salt and black pepper and toss to coat. Pop them on the top shelf of your oven. Roast until soft and slightly crispy round the edges, 15 mins.
Lay a chicken breast on the chopping board, place your hand flat on top and slice into it from the side so it opens up like a book. You’ve just butterflied your chicken! Repeat with the other breasts and put the pieces in a mixing bowl. Add a drizzle of oil, a squeeze of lime juice and the Mexican spice mix. TIP: Some like it hot, but if you're not one of them, just go easy on the spice!
Heat a splash of oil in a frying pan on medium-high heat. Once hot, add the chicken and cook for 3-4 mins on each side. Then transfer to the tray with the peppers. Roast for 5-6 mins. TIP: The chicken is cooked when it is no longer pink in the middle. Don't wash the pan, we'll use it again
Add another splash of oil to your (now empty) frying pan and put it back on medium-high heat. Add three-quarters of the shallot. Cook for 2 mins. Add as much chilli as you dare, the mixed beans, chicken stock pot and water (amount specified in the ingredient list). Season with salt and black pepper. Cook with a lid on for 5 mins. Then mash to a coarse paste with a potato masher or the back of a fork.
In a small bowl mix the remaining shallot with the coriander. Add the olive oil (amount specified in ingredient list) and lime zest. Season with salt and black pepper. Place your beans on a plate, put the chicken on top and pour over the dressing. Serve your roasted peppers on the side. Squeeze over a little more lime juice for good measure and serve!
