Pollo En Ajo-Comino (Garlic and Cumin Chicken)

SEAFOOD OPTION AT THE END!

Another easy and light dish. Pollo en Ajo-Comino is generally dry, eaten with tortillas and the works. I like to make it with a little bit of sauce as I prefer to it eat with rice, white or flavoured, like the Green Rice.

garlic and cumin chicken

The recipe calls for Ancho chillies which are dried jalapenos. Substitute it with any dried chillies that you get from major supermarkets or chilli flakes if need be.

Fresh spices, ground yourself are always best but if that’s not your thing, by all means get the ground versions of the cumin, cloves and pepper.

 Ingredients (serves 2-3)

500g chicken – I like to use mini chicken breast fillets, they’re quick to cook

4 cloves garlic, crushed or pounded

2 ancho chillies (or any dried ones/half to one tsp chilli flakes)

1 tbsp cumin seeds

quarter tsp black peppercorns

1 clove (quarter tsp ground)

half tsp salt/to taste

1 tsp olive or any veg oil (rapeseed is the healthiest veg oil)

about 200-400 mls water, depending on how dry you want it to be, start with less

ancho chillies

Method

1. Cut the dried chillies up and soak them them in hot water for about 10 minutes

2. If using whole spices, in a dry mill (I use a coffee grinder for this), grind the cumin, clove, peppercorns and salt.

3. Add the dry spices to the garlic, adding 2 tbsp of water to make a thin paste (see pic, right).

4. Drain and rinse the chillies, then blend or pound them with a little water.

5. Heat the oil in a large frying pan and brown the chicken pieces on high heat, giving them a charred look. Let them catch, beacuse of the minimal oil, they will. Dont forget to scrape the pan as you turn the chicken over.

6. Lower the heat to medium and add the spice mixture and stir it all up for a minute.

7. Add the chillies and once again, mix it all up. Add water and let the chicken cook on low heat, uncovered. If using thin strips, the chicken should be practically cooked at this stage.

8. Season to taste and serve hot, sprinkled with coriander or parsley.

Goes very well with the Green Rice.

SEAFOOD – just add equal amount of whatever seafood you like!