Belizean Stew Chicken - A RECIPE FOR YOU TODAY

Belizean Stew Chicken

Ingredients:

1 Chicken (about four pounds) cut into small pieces
1 clove garlic

1 onion chopped
salt, pepper (about a teaspoon of each)
Cumin ( a good pinch ground or about a teaspoon whole)

Thyme (a good pinch)

Black pepper (good pinch to taste)

Recado or Paprika (a half teaspoon piece of recado or a big pinch of Paprika as a substitute for recado and to add colour)
Vinegar or lemon juice (a few splashes or squeezes)

Optional additions

Chopped bell pepper (red or green)

One ripe tomato

Cilantro

Tabasco

1 teaspoon Brown sugar

Directions

Wash chicken and rub in the vinegar or lemon juice. 

Season with salt and set aside.

Heat the oil in a heavy pan or deep skillet and sprinkle flour, stirring to dissolve (like a thin roux) before adding chicken pieces. 

Brown chicken. 

Add onion and garlic, stirring until onion softens, being careful not to burn. 

Add remaining spices, stir, and begin adding water until chicken is almost covered. If you have the recado, mix with water until just runny and add with spices. 

Reduce heat and cook slowly to stew, about 45 minutes to an hour, stirring occasionally and adding water as necessary.

A note on the seasoning. As mentioned, every cook has his or her own spicing tricks. Thyme is one favourite, and many Belize cooks use Season All instead of salt when initially seasoning. Bay leaf, oregano, basil – whatever strikes your fancy probably won’t go amiss. Some people add a small tin of tomatoes, a big splash of beer, dashes of Worcestershire and other personal favourites.

While delicious when served immediately, this is a dish that can be made well ahead of time and reheated – in fact, it seems to get better as it matures.

Serve alongside your rice and beans and Belizean potato salad, homemade flour tortillas  or whatever you like.