Tuesday, 3rd February 2009

Mexican Chicken Thighs in Pumpkin Seed Sauce

Nuts and seeds were traditionally used for thickening sauces in Latin America before the Spaniards arrived with dairy products such as cream, butter and cheese, and these traditional recipes have survived, virtually unchanged to this day.  The addition of seeds is also far more healthy than adding a carton of cream!

Serves 4

Ingredients

• 8 chicken thighs
• salt and pepper
• 2 tablespoons of groundnut oil

For the sauce

• 110g pumpkin seeds
• 2 tsp ground cumin
• ½ tsp paprika
• 2 green jalapeno chillies, seeded and finely chopped
• 300 ml hot chicken stock
• 4 tbsp chopped parsley
• 4 tbsp chopped coriander
• salt and pepper

Additional chopped parsley for serving

Method

1. Season the chicken thighs with salt and pepper.  Heat the oil in a large frying pan and brown the thighs on both sides.  Remove from the pan and set aside.
2. Make the sauce:  drain off the excess fat from the pan and toast the pumpkin seeds until lightly browned which should take 2-3 minutes.  Add the cumin, paprika and chillies and cook, stirring, for another minute.
3. Add half of the hot stock to the pan and mix thoroughly.  Tip the sauce into a blender and process until smooth and pour back into the pan.  Add the rest of the stock, parsley and coriander and season.  Bring to the boil and add the chicken thighs, coating well with the sauce.  Reduce the heat and cover and simmer gently for 25 minutes until the chicken is cooked through.
4. Serve sprinkled with parsley.