Recipe: Chilli Chicken/Tofu with Spicy Beans & Tomato Sauce

Chilli Chicken/Tofu with Spicy Beans & Tomato Sauce

My apologies for not updating in a while - I have been busy with a project, but I am back today with a lovely recipe to share. It is actually a cross between two recipes that I am very fond of, Chicken Marsala (I haven't posted this one yet), which gave me the technique for doing the chicken and Turkey/Soya/Quorn Chilli with Tortilla Crust and Avocado Salsa for the beans and sauce.

Updated - I forgot to mention this works extremely well with smoked tofu, rather than chicken for the vegetarians among us - the flavour goes beautifully, and coating it in flour and frying it would give the little crunch too.

Serves 4 Cooking Time 45 min

Ingredients

• 4 skinless chicken breasts or 1 packet of smoked Tofu (Tofoo is fantastic)
• 3 tbsp regular flour (for gluten free, you could use another flour of your choice - it is only to help the browning)
• Salt
• Pepper
• ½ tsp mild chili powder

• ½ red onion
• 1 skinned red pepper 
• 500g box of passata
• 1 tbsp chipotle (if you don't like it as spicy, reduce the amount)
• 1 tsp ground cumin
• 1 can red kidney beans
• 1 can cannellini beans
• ¼ cup sherry (optional)

• 2 tbsp oil for frying

Rice or tortillas for serving, with soured cream and avocado salsa (optional).

Instructions

1. Put flour, pepper, salt and mild chili powder in a bag and shake to mix. 
2. Pound the chicken breast until they are about ¼ inch thick or Cut the tofu into four equal, flat pieces.
3. Put the chicken or tofu in the bag and shake to coat with flour.
4. In a large frying pan (30cm/12in) or flameproof casserole heat the oil and add the chicken/tofu. Cook until golden on both sides and just cooked - about 5-6 mins for chicken, less for tofu.
5. Remove and set aside to rest in a warm place.
6. Chop the onion finely.
7. Sweat down in the same pan as the chicken was cooked in, over a low heat, until translucent.
8. Chop the red pepper into bite sized pieces and add to the pan.
9. Add the ground cumin and stir through - cook for 1 min.
10. Stir in the passata and chipotle - rinse out the passata box/can with a little water and add that too.
11. Add the beans and the sherry and bring to the boil.
12. Cook until the sauce has thickened and is viscous - can take up to 10 mins, but use your judgement.
13. Turn the heat down, add the chicken/tofu to the pan, including any juices that came out, pop on the lid and cook for 2-3 mins until the chicken/tofu is warmed through.
14. Serve with rice or tortillas.

This is a very hearty meal with lots of things that are really good for us. It is also very tasty and the way the chicken comes out so juicy inside and slightly crunchy on the outside it just about perfect.