Barbecue Chicken & Beans Recipe

Ingredients

1 tbsp olive or sunflower oil
500g diced chicken leg
2 onions
2 celery sticks
1 green pepper
2 garlic cloves
40g tomato sauce
1 tbsp demerara sugar
2 tbsp cider vinegar
2 tsp smoked paprika
400g tin of cannellini beans
400g chopped tomatoes
100-400ml cold water
Sea salt
Freshly ground pepper
300g white basmati rice
600ml boiling water
2 tbsp water (optional)

Prep: 20 mins | Cook: 1 hr 25 mins-6 hrs 10 mins

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Method

1. Warm a large frying pan (or casserole dish if you are cooking the dish in the oven) over a medium heat for 2 mins, then add 1 tbsp oil and the diced chicken leg. Fry for 10 mins, turning the chicken once or twice, till it’s browned all over.

2. While the chicken fries, peel and finely chop the onions. Trim the dry ends off the celery sticks and finely chop them. Halve the green pepper, scoop out the seeds and white pith, and finely chop the pepper. From this point on either follow the method for the slow cooker or the oven.

3. In the slow cooker: When the chicken is browned, scoop it out of the frying pan and add it to 3½ ltr slow cooker. Add the chopped veg too.

4. Peel and crush or grate the garlic and add it to the veg. Add the tomato sauce, 1 tbsp demerera sugar, 2 tbsp cider vinegar and 2 tsp smoked paprika. Give everything a stir to mix.

5. Drain the cannellini beans and add them to the slow cooker with the chopped tomatoes. Pour in 100ml water and season with salt and pepper. Give everything a stir again. Pop on the lid and set the slow cooker to medium, then cook for 6-8 hrs, stirring every so often till the chicken and beans are tender and cooked through. You can cook it slower at low for 10-12 hrs, or for a quick dish, set your slow cooker to high and cook for 4-5 hrs.

6. When the chicken and beans have 30 mins left, rinse the rice and tip into a medium pan. Add a pinch of salt and 600ml boiling water. Cover, bring to the boil, then turn the heat down very low and simmer for 8-10 mins till the water has been absorbed. Take the rice off the heat and let it sit, lid on, for 5-10 mins to finish cooking.

7. Taste the chicken and beans and add a pinch of salt or pepper if needed. Fluff the rice with a fork and spoon onto warm plates or bowls. Top with the barbecue chicken and beans and serve.

8. In the oven: Heat your oven to 180°C/Fan 160°C/Gas 4. Scoop the browned chicken out of the casserole dish and pop on a plate. Add the onions, celery and pepper to the dish with a pinch of salt and pepper and 2 tbsp water. Fry for 10 mins, stirring often, till the veg start to soften and look glossy.

9. While the veg fry, peel and crush the garlic. Return the chicken to the dish with any juices from the plate. Stir in the garlic and add the tomato sauce, 1 tbsp Demerera sugar, 2 tbsp cider vinegar and 2 tsp smoked paprika. Stir to mix.

10. Drain the cannellini beans and add them to the dish with the chopped tomatoes. Pour in 400ml water and season with salt and pepper. Give everything a stir again. Pop on a lid and slide into the oven. Bake for 1 hr.

11. When the chicken and beans have 30 mins left, rinse the rice and tip it into a medium pan. Add a pinch of salt and 600ml boiling water. Cover, bring to the boil, then turn the heat down low and simmer for 8-10 mins, till the water has been absorbed. Take the rice off the heat and let it sit, lid on, for 5-10 mins to finish cooking.

12. Taste the chicken and beans and add a pinch of salt and pepper if you think it needs it. Fluff the rice with a fork and spoon onto warm plates or bowls. Top with the barbecue chicken and beans and serve.