The Ultimate Chilli Chicken (Slow Cooker)
Normally, I specify browning your meat and aromatics first when it comes to slow cooking, but this recipe is a dump-and-run scenario. It builds on layers, starting with the chicken and, for whatever reason, it just works.
I wanted a chilli chicken that wasn’t tomato-based, and this is it. Given the variation between slow cookers, liquid can evaporate at different speeds, so I have included an option for thickening the sauce. This is by no means mandatory – just make sure you shred the chicken into the sauce before you decide if it needs thickening (it will absorb more liquid when shredded).
Even though it’s called chilli chicken, this dish is mild. When slow cooking, you can really intensify the heat, so it’s best to incorporate the fire of a good chilli at the end – with chilli flakes, fresh green chilli, whatever you like. The last thing you want to do is make it so hot that it is inedible, and you find you have wasted all those great ingredients.
If you care concerned about the lectin in dried beans, see my tips below for preparation instructions.
Ingredients 27
4 skinless chicken breasts
1 tbsp ground cumin
1 tbsp ground coriander
2 tsp dried oregano
1 tbsp oregano, finely chopped, fresh
1 tsp sweet smoked paprika
2 tsp chipotle powder
200 g dried white beans, washed thoroughly
2 stalks celery, sliced
4 cloves garlic, minced
3 jalapeños, deseeded, finely chopped
1 onion, chopped
2 green capsicums (bell peppers), deseeded, chopped
1 l chicken stock
1 lime, zest and juice
salt, to season
ground black pepper, to season
60 g monterey jack cheese, grated
Optional Thickener
185 ml full-cream milk (whole milk)
40 g masa flour
To Serve
cheese, if desired
sour cream
coriander leaves (cilantro)
oregano
corn tortillas
green chilli, sliced
chilli flakes
avocado, diced
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Method 4
Place the in the base of the slow cooker. Mix the , , , , and in a bowl, then sprinkle over the chicken, tossing evenly to coat.
Top with the , , , , , , and , then close the lid and cook on low for 10 hours.
Using a couple of forks, gently shred the in the bowl of your slow cooker and stir it through the sauce. If, at this point, you feel the sauce needs thickening, mix the with the , pour into the slow cooker and stir to combine. Close the lid and cook on low for another 10–15 minutes, or until the sauce has thickened.
Add the and adjust the seasoning with salt and pepper. I love to add the straight to the pot before serving and stir it through the so that it melts. Serve with all the extras.
Katrina Meynink's tips
In this book I have used dried white beans and chickpeas, among other pulses. I haven’t soaked them overnight. Instead, I let the slow cooker do the breaking down for me. This is contentious because there is some concern around the possibility of food poisoning from beans, which contain the plant lectin phytohaemagglutinin. This protein can be toxic at high levels, so the usual advice is to soak your beans in cold water overnight and boil them briefly before using. However, the beans I have used in these recipes have the lowest rate of lectin across all bean varieties, and most of the newer generation of slow cookers run at higher temperatures, eliminating the risk of food poisoning. To be safe, I recommend boiling your dried legumes for 10 minutes before proceeding with the recipe.
