- 500g diced chicken leg
- 1 onion
- 1 garlic clove
- A thumb of ginger
- 300g carrots
- 300g potatoes
- 250g sweet potatoes
- 2 sweetcorn cobs
- 1 tsp garam masala
- 1 tsp turmeric
- ½ tsp smoked paprika
- 75g pearl barley
- 400ml coconut milk
- A handful of coriander
- 1 tbsp coconut or olive oil
- 200-300ml water
- Sea salt & freshly ground pepper
- 4 tbsp water (optional)
- Large frying pan or casserole dish
- Measuring jug
- 1.
Warm a large frying pan (or casserole dish, if you’re braising the chicken on the hob) for 2 mins, then add 1 tbsp oil and the diced chicken leg. Fry for 8 mins, turning every now and then, till golden brown. Lift the chicken out into a bowl.
- 2.
While the chicken cooks, peel and finely chop the onion. Peel and thinly slice the garlic clove. Peel and finely grate the ginger. Trim, peel and thickly slice the carrots. Peel and chop the potatoes and sweet potatoes into 2cm-thick chunks. From this point on, follow the method for cooking the chowder in the slow cooker or on the hob.
- 3.
In the Slow Cooker^ Pull the leaves and the silks off the sweetcorn cobs. Lay a cob on a chopping board. Carefully cut down the sides with a knife to slice off the kernels. Repeat with the other cob.
- 4.
Tip the fried chicken leg into a 3½ ltr slow cooker. Add the onion, garlic, ginger, carrots, potatoes and sweet potatoes. Measure out 1 tsp each garam masala and turmeric, and ½ tsp smoked paprika and add them to the slow cooker.
- 5.
Tip in the pearl barley and sweetcorn kernels. Pour in the tin of coconut milk and 200ml warm water. Add a good pinch of salt and pepper. Stir and pop on the lid. Set the slow cooker to medium and cook for 6 hrs. For a faster chowder, set the slow cooker to high and cook for 4-5 hrs, or set to low and cook for 8-10 hrs.
- 6.
When the chicken chowder is nearly cooked, finely chop the coriander stalks and roughly chop the leaves, keeping them separate.
- 7.
Stir the coriander stalks through the chowder. Taste and add more salt, pepper or smoked paprika if you think it needs it. Divide the chowder between 4 warm bowls and top with the coriander leaves to serve.
- 8.
On the Hob^ Add 4 tbsp water to the casserole dish, then add the onion. Fry on a medium-low heat, stirring now and then, for 8 mins till the onion is softened and lightly coloured.
- 9.
Add the chopped garlic, ginger and carrots to the onion and cook for 2 mins.
- 10.
Add the chicken back to the pan, along with any resting juices. Add the potatoes and sweet potatoes. Measure out 1 tsp each garam masala and turmeric, and 1/2 tsp smoked paprika and add them to the pan. Tip in the pearl barley. Pour in the tin of coconut milk along with 300ml water. Add a good pinch of salt and pepper and stir.
- 11.
Simmer on a medium heat for 35 mins till the chicken and pearl barley are tender and the chowder has thickened and reduced slightly. Stir every now and then and if the chowder is looking dry, add a splash or 2 of water.
- 12.
While the chowder cooks, pull the leaves and the silks off the sweetcorn cobs. Lay a cob on a chopping board. Carefully cut down the sides with a knife, rotating as you go, to slice off the kernels. Repeat with the other cob.
- 13.
Stir the sweetcorn kernels to the chowder after it has cooked for 35 mins. Simmer the chowder for a further 10 mins. Finely chop the coriander stalks and roughly chop the leaves, keeping them separate.
- 14.
Stir the coriander stalks through the chowder. Taste and add more salt, pepper or smoked paprika if you think it needs it. Divide the chowder between 4 warm bowls and top with the coriander leaves to serve.
- Tip
Eat & Keep
This chowder will keep in the fridge for up to 3 days or freeze for up to 3 months. Simply divide into individual containers and cool, then seal and chill or freeze. Defrost overnight and make sure it is piping hot all the way through when you reheat it.