- 500g diced chicken leg
- 2 onions
- 2 courgettes
- 1 red pepper
- 500g sweet potatoes
- 2 garlic cloves
- A thumb of ginger
- 100g dried apricots
- 2 tsp ground cumin
- A pinch of cayenne
- 1 cinnamon stick
- 400g chopped tomatoes
- 300g wholewheat couscous
- ½ -1 tbsp olive oil
- Sea salt
- Freshly ground pepper
- 200ml cold water
- 600ml boiling water
- 1.
Warm a frying pan and add ½ tbsp oil and the chicken. Fry for 8 mins, turning now and then, till browned all over.
- 2.
Meanwhile, peel and roughly chop the onions. Trim the courgettes, halve and slice into 1cm-thick half-moons. Halve the pepper, scoop out the seeds and pith and roughly chop. Peel, halve and chop the sweet potatoes into 1cm-thick half-moons. Peel and grate the garlic and ginger. Halve the dried apricots. From this point, follow the method for your slow cooker, or cooking on the hob.
- 3.
In the slow cooker^ Scoop the chicken into a 3½ ltr slow cooker. Add the veg, garlic, ginger, apricots and a pinch of salt and pepper. Add 2 tsp cumin, a pinch of cayenne (warning: it’s spicy,) and the cinnamon stick.
- 4.
Tip in the chopped tomatoes. Pour in 200ml cold water. Put the lid on the slow cooker and set it to medium. Cook for 6 hrs, stirring once or twice. For a faster cook, set to high and cook for 4 hrs, or slowly cook for 8 hrs at low.
- 5.
When the stew has 15 mins left, tip the couscous into a bowl. Add 600ml boiling water, swirl a few times, cover and set aside to soak for 10-15 mins.
- 6.
Fish out the cinnamon stick and taste the stew. Add more salt, pepper or cayenne if needed. Fluff the couscous, divide between 4 warm bowls and ladle over the stew to serve.
- 7.
On the hob^ Scoop the chicken out onto a plate. Add the chopped veg to the pan with 1/2 tbsp oil. Season with a pinch of salt and pepper. Fry for 8-10 mins, stirring often, till the veg have started to soften.
- 8.
Stir the garlic, ginger and dried apricots into the veg. Add 2 tsp ground cumin, a pinch of cayenne (it's spicy, so use as much or as little as you prefer) and drop in the cinnamon stick.
- 9.
Tip in the chopped tomatoes. Pour in 200ml water. Bring to the boil, then cover and turn the heat down so it's simmering. Simmer for 40 mins, till the veg are soft and the chicken is cooked through. Stir now and then.
- 10.
When the stew has 15 mins cooking time left, tip the couscous into a heatproof bowl. Pour in 600ml boiling water, swirl a few times and set aside with a plate resting on top of the bowl. Set aside to soak for 10-15 mins. The couscous will suck up all the water and 'cook'
- 11.
Fish the cinnamon stick out of the pan and taste the stew. Add more salt, pepper or cayenne if you think it needs it. Fluff the couscous up with a fork, divide between 4 warm bowls and ladle over the stew to serve.
- Tip
Eat & keep
You can keep this stew in the fridge for up to 3 days, or freeze for up to 3 months. Divide into individual portions and transfer to airtight tubs. Cool completely, then chill or freeze. Make you defrost the stew thoroughly and reheat till piping hot. - Tip
Next week...
Is there anything better than beef stew and dumplings? Only when the dumplings are flavoured with sharp cheddar cheese and aromatic rosemary. If that sounds good to you, then don't miss next week's Slow Cook Recipe Box because you'll get all the ingredients and know-how to make the best organic beef stew ever.
