Caribbean Chicken Stew

[Charleybarley]

I came across a recipe online, which I have adapted. This recipe works out as 1/4 HEA + just over 1 syn per serving (serves 4). Or if you didn't want to use HEA for this then 450 ml of Kara Milk is 4.5 syns (I think!) so just over 2 syns.... this is getting complicated, anyway it is a very low syn, high flavour, hearty and healthy alternative to a regular "my mum makes the best..." stew!

Ingredients:
Pack of chicken thighs/drumsticks/breasts (whatever your preference, I like thighs) enough for 4 people.
450 ml of Kara Coconut Milk (1/4 HEA or 4.5 syns)
450 ml of chicken stock (I used tescos own brand of oxo)
1 teaspoon of the following:
Curry Powder
All Purpose
Jerk
Paprika
Parsley (I used fresh but dried is fine)
Thyme (I used fresh but dried is fine)
All spice/mixed spice
Pinch of nutmeg
Salt and coarse black pepper to seasonJuice of 1 lemon
2 teaspoons soy sauce
3 cloves garlic, finely chopped
1 large onion, finely chopped
1 small piece of ginger, finely chopped
1 red pepper, finely chopped
1 green pepper, finely chopped
2/3 Sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into biggish chunks
2/3 parsnips
2 teaspoons oil (3 syns)2 teaspoons sugar (2 syns)
2 to 3 tomatoes, cut into small pieces
1 to 2 teaspoons tomato puree
1 Scotch bonnet chilli (I forgot this, but did not need it really if you are happy with a mild to medium spiced sweet stew)

So lots of ingredients really, but once you have all the spices, its easier. So up to 24 hours before you want to eat this, prepare the following:

STEP 1

• Skin your chicken, slash each portion of chicken, place in a large bowl
• Put together the ingredients which I have colour coded blue into a small dish and mix thoroughly, then rub this lovely lot into your chicken, cover up and leave in the fridge for as long as possible. I usually do this all first thing in the morning, to cook later on that evening (and eat the following day)

STEP 2

• When you are ready to cook, heat the 2 teaspoons of oil and 2 teaspoons of sugar in a large pan and add the chicken in the pan, taking care to shake as much of the marinade off the meat as possible. This is called Browning and it gives the chicken an amazing colour (you could probably just frylight if you wanted to save syns, but I really think this is an important step and gives an amazing sweet, indulgent taste to the dish
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
• Once you have browned the meat transfer it to a large pot
• Cook off the remainder of the marinade in the pan you cooked your chicken and add the veg I colour coded red (I used sweet potatoes and parsnips, you could use anything really - root veg preferably though so they will stand up to the cooking process.
• Add your tomatoes and tomato puree to the mix
  
  
  
• Once this is all suitably sauteed, add to the pot with the chicken
• Mix your stock and coconut milk together, swish some of the milky stock around the pan used for browning, getting as much flavour from it as you can, then add the stock to the pot.
• At this stage, if you have a scotch bonnet, once you have stirred your stew and put it on a medium to low heat, pop the whole chilli on top of the stew and cover. Leave for around 1 - 1 1/2 hours
  
  
  
  
  
• It is ready to eat at this stage, but I like to leave it until the following day to eat. I served with a portion of rice and some more veg.

It is really tasty and flavoursome and is also full of good healthy and hearty foods.

 

[Amyloves]

Would this work in a slow cooker? It sounds delicious!

 

[Charleybarley]

Would this work in a slow cooker? It sounds delicious!

Oh yes, I would say so - I love my slow cooker, the only reason I never used it on this occasion is that I hate frying things off then putting it in the slow cooker - I usually put everything in in one go, but this recipe really does need the 'browning' step for the chicken.

You could probably use any meat you fancy too.

 

[SSL555]

This sounds nice, going to add the ingredients to my shopping list

 

[Amyloves]

Thanks

 

[SSL555]

Where do you get the kara coconut milk from, I got the Amoy reduced fat coconut milk as I couldn't find the kara, but when I did the syns online for it, it came out at 23 syns.

 

[missy1978]

You'll find Kara with the UHT and dairy free milks. Kara is brilliant stuff and I love the look of this recipe! Might try vegetarianising it

 

[SSL555]

You'll find Kara with the UHT and dairy free milks. Kara is brilliant stuff and I love the look of this recipe! Might try vegetarianising it

Cool, thxs for that. You could do quorn chicken style pieces.

 

[missy1978]

Cool, thxs for that. You could do quorn chicken style pieces.

Mmmmm Thinking I might try chickpeas and sweet potato first - my favourite combination for spicy foods XD

 

[SSL555]

Mmmmm Thinking I might try chickpeas and sweet potato first - my favourite combination for spicy foods XD

I'm not a lover of chickpeas but I do love sweet potatoes.

 

[bc201]

Where do you get the kara coconut milk from, I got the Amoy reduced fat coconut milk as I couldn't find the kara, but when I did the syns online for it, it came out at 23 syns.

I just do not understand unless you have a dairy allergy use coconut flavouring in milk or yogurt!!
It transforms curries as well as savoury dishes?!

 

[Charleybarley]

I just do not understand unless you have a dairy allergy use coconut flavouring in milk or yogurt!!
It transforms curries as well as savoury dishes?!

I haven't been able to find coconut essence in the shops, whereas the Kara stuff is readily available, cheap and also tastes nice in porridge, not to mention the fact you can have 450ml of it for a HEA. I am looking for the coconut essence but not actively and cant be faffed to order it online and incur a delivery charge for a teeny tiny bottle - unless, do you know where I can purchase it?

 

[missy1978]

I just do not understand unless you have a dairy allergy use coconut flavouring in milk or yogurt!!
It transforms curries as well as savoury dishes?!

It worth using because it's really tasty - I love it! I'd rather use something that is actually made from coconuts rather than just flavouring too.

 

[Johnwoz]

What a fantastic recipe Charley and with bril photos to make it look dead easy to make !

I will definitely try this !!

 

[bc201]

Coconut flavouring is SYN free you can get it from any Asian or other world health shop ir Jane Asher I have only bought one little bottle 1/2 still left ! Since around May!
Plus if you like the new Greek Mullerlight yogurt coconut Buy supermarket's own make FF Greek yog and add a few drops it's nicer and you save a lot believe me!

 

[JMcK]

Coconut flavouring is SYN free you can get it from any Asian or other world health shop ir Jane Asher I have only bought one little bottle 1/2 still left ! Since around May!
Plus if you like the new Greek Mullerlight yogurt coconut Buy supermarket's own make FF Greek yog and add a few drops it's nicer and you save a lot believe me!

That's a good idea, I didn't know coconut flavouring existed

 

[SSL555]

I just do not understand unless you have a dairy allergy use coconut flavouring in milk or yogurt!!
It transforms curries as well as savoury dishes?!

I just didnt know where the Kara stuff would be cause ive never tried it or seen it, the amoy coconut milk was in the curry sauce aisle.

 

[missy1978]

Coconut flavouring is SYN free you can get it from any Asian or other world health shop ir Jane Asher I have only bought one little bottle 1/2 still left ! Since around May!
Plus if you like the new Greek Mullerlight yogurt coconut Buy supermarket's own make FF Greek yog and add a few drops it's nicer and you save a lot believe me!

I'm happy to spend a few syns on the real thing mostly, I made a korma today using creamed coconut and it was lovely. Sometimes it's worth using syns but I can imagine the flavourings are good if you'd rather have everything syn free.