Slow Cooked Spicy Chicken & Sweet Potatoes

This could not be easier and is perfect for the autumn evenings which are coming. Slow cooking means that the compounds in chillies are rendered almost sweet and much less spicy than if this was cooked quickly. Don’t skimp on the heat and you will be rewarded by the sweetest spicy chicken dish you can imagine. If you have a slow cooker you can get this on in the morning and come home to the most delicious dinner waiting.

Serves 5-6 but can stretch even further if you serve with some rice.

For the chili paste

2 large dried chilies in adobo reconstituted in 100ml of hot chicken or vegetable stock

1 small white onion

2 tbsp tomato passata

2 tbsp paprika

2tsp each of ground cumin and coriander

1 tbsp sambal oelek or chopped chilies in oil

1 tbsp coconut palm or dark brown sugar

1 tbsp grated ginger

Blend everything to a smooth paste, add 1 tsp salt, scrape down and blend again

For the rest of the casserole

1 large chicken butchered into 8 pieces

2-3 sweet potatoes peeled and sliced thickly

100gr frozen peas

Place the chicken into a large casserole dish or your slow cooker. Season generously.

Pour over half the chili paste. Top with the sweet potato and cover with the rest of the paste.

Put the lid on and into the oven at 150C for about 3 hours or set into your slow cooker and cook as desired.

About 15 minutes before serving, throw in the peas, give it a quick stir, and finish cooking.