My ant (not a typo, although most might say “aunt”) sent us a packet of Aji Amarillo to play with a little while back, and when we saw it sitting in our pantry next to our giant dried corn, we got the urge to use it again! This time, knowing more about the incredible flavour that the spice imparts, we decided to make a stew in the Clay Pot Dutch Oven! Once we had decided upon our spice profile (and the inclusion of the huge corn), we got to building the rest of our stew with chicken, lima beans, tomatoes, onions, red bell peppers, and white beans (to give the sauce some real body).
By cooking our stew in a clay pot, the chicken became extremely tender, and the flavours had a little hint of earthy smokiness. However, if you’ve not got access to a clay Dutch oven, a regular Dutch Oven (or even a slow cooker) will work too! In a similar vein, if you don’t have Aji Amarillo, we think a blend of Cayenne and Turmeric would fill in admirably in a pinch.
Time: 90 Minutes
Ingredients:
- Chicken Breast
- Lima Beans
- Corn (we used giant dried corn)
- Onion
- Tomatoes
- Red Bell Pepper
- A can of Cannellini Beans
- Aji Amarillo (or a mix of Cayenne and Turmeric powder)
- Chicken Stock
Method:
- Soak your corn the night before you plant to cook by combining it with water and leaving out overnight. The next day, as you begin to cook, drain the water, pour new water in, and bring to a boil.
- Begin to heat some oil in your Dutch Oven.
- Dice your onion, and add it to your Dutch Oven. Stir occasionally until the onion begins to turn opaque.
- As your onion cooks, dice your red bell pepper, and cut your chicken breast into cubes. Once your onion is ready, add your chicken and peppers to the pot as well. Stir occasionally to brown your chicken.
- As your chicken cooks, cut your tomatoes into cubes, and puree your cannellini beans (with the liquid in the can) in a blender.
- When your chicken has browned, add your tomatoes and your seasoning into the Dutch Oven, and stir to combine. As your tomatoes start to disintegrate and break down, add your (now soft) corn and lima beans.
- Mix all of your ingredients together, and then add in your pureed cannellini beans and some chicken stock, and stir to incorporate.
- Cover your Dutch Oven, and place it in your oven. Then, turn the oven on to 350 degrees F. Cook in the oven for about 60 minutes to allow the flavours to build.
- Scoop, devour, and enjoy!
