- 150g polenta
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 2 tsp smoked paprika
- 100g Cheddar
- 200g half fat crème fraîche
- 1 red onion
- 1 garlic clove
- 1 chilli
- 250g diced chicken leg
- 2 corn on the cob
- 100g baby leaf spinach
- A handful of coriander
- Sea salt
- Freshly ground pepper
- 6 tbsp warm water
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 500ml boiling water
- 1.
Heat your oven to 200°C/Fan 180°C/Gas 6. Line a baking tray with a sheet of baking paper. Pop the polenta, 1 tsp baking powder, 1 tsp smoked paprika and a generous amount of salt and pepper in a large bowl.
- 2.
Grate the cheddar. Add two-thirds to the bowl. Pour in 100g crème fraîche and 6 tbsp warm water. Stir together with a fork to make a dough. Pat into a round. Carefully lay the dough on the baking tray. Flatten it down so it’s around 3cm thick. Scatter over the remaining cheddar on top. Bake on the top shelf of the oven for 25 mins till golden brown on the outside.
- 3.
While the cornbread bakes, peel and finely slice the onion. Peel and grate the garlic. Finely chop the chilli, flicking out the seeds for less heat.
- 4.
Heat a deep frying pan or wok. Add 1 tbsp oil with the chicken. Cook for 3-4 mins, stirring, till golden. Add the onion and cook for 2 mins. Add the garlic, chilli and 1 tsp smoked paprika. Stir together for 1 min.
- 5.
Pour in 500ml boiling water. Stir together and simmer for 15 mins.
- 6.
While the chicken simmers, pull the silks off the corn. Slice a slither off the bottom of each corn cob so they’re flat. Stand them upright and run a knife down the corn to slice off the kernels. Roughly chop the coriander, keeping the stalks and leaves separate.
- 7.
After the chicken has cooked for 15 mins, spoon out 2 tbsp of the cooking liquid and mix it with the remaining crème fraîche. Pour it back into the pan. Add the sweetcorn kernels and coriander stalks. Add the spinach and stir to wilt before adding the next batch. Bring to a bubble and simmer for 5 mins.
- 8.
Taste and season. Spoon into warm bowls. Scatter over the coriander leaves and sprinkle over a pinch of smoked paprika. Serve with wedges of warm cheesey cornbread.