Recipe notes
In this flavoursome Mexican style chicken recipe, butterflying the chicken is a great time-saving technique as it means the meat cooks more quickly. Anything that speeds up dinner’s arrival on the table can only be a good thing.
Mexican Style Chicken with Beans and Roasted Peppers Recipe
Skip the tortillas for potato wedges in this warm flavoursome Mexican style chicken recipe which features a nutritious medley of beans and roasted peppers.
10 Mins 40 Mins Medium Serves 2
Ingredients
- 400g potatoes
- 1 yellow pepper
- 1 echalion shallot
- 1 lime
- 2 garlic cloves
- 2 chicken breasts
- 2 to 3 tbsp Mexican spice
- 400g cannellini beans in water (Approx 240g drained weight)
- 1 tsp (5g) chicken stock powder
Method
- Preheat your oven to 200°C.
- Chop the potatoes into 2cm wide wedges (no need to peel!). Pop the wedges on a large baking tray in a single layer.
- Drizzle with oil, then season with salt and pepper. Toss to coat, then spread out and roast on the top shelf of your oven until golden, 25 to 30 minutes. Turn halfway through cooking.
- Meanwhile, halve the pepper and discard the core and seeds. Slice into thin strips.
- Halve, peel and finely chop the shallot.
- Zest and halve the lime.
- Peel and grate the garlic (or use a garlic press).
- Put the pepper on a lined baking tray. Drizzle over some oil, season with salt and pepper and toss to coat. Spread out evenly, then roast on the middle shelf of your oven until soft and slightly crispy around the edges, 15 to 17 minutes.
- While everything cooks, lay your chicken breast on the chopping board, place your hand flat on top and slice into it from the side (being careful not to slice all the way through). Open it up like a book. Repeat for the other breast(s).
- Transfer them to a mixing bowl. Add a drizzle of oil, a squeeze of lime juice and half the Mexican spice mix. Season with salt and pepper, then use your hands to mix thoroughly. Remember to wash your hands after handling raw meat.
- Heat a splash of oil in a frying pan on medium-high heat. Once hot, add the chicken and cook for 3 to 4 minutes on each side.
- Transfer to the tray with the peppers and roast for 5 to 6 minutes. Check that the chicken is cooked i.e. there is no longer pink in the middle. Don’t wash the pan, you’ll use it in the next step.
- Meanwhile, drain and rinse the beans in a colander. Add another splash of oil to your now empty frying pan and put it back on medium-high heat.
- Add the shallot and cook for 2 minutes.
- Add the garlic and remaining Mexican spice and cook for 1 min.
- Add the cannellini beans, chicken stock powder and 50ml of water. Season with salt and pepper. Pop a lid on the pan and cook for 5 minutes.
- When cooked, mash to break up the beans with a potato masher (or the back of a fork).
- Mix the lime zest and olive oil with a squeeze of lime juice. Season with salt and pepper.
- Divide the beans between plates, with the chicken beside and the peppers on top.
- Add the wedges and dress with some of the lime sauce.
