Chilli con pollo – method and optional extras

First up, the method.

Seal the diced chicken in batches in a large frying pan using a drop of rapeseed oil then set aside.

Gently fry your onion and garlic, using another drop of rapeseed oil if necessary. Add the spices and cook together so that the spices are able to release their deliciousness.

Add the passata and the chilli sauce and bring to the boil. Add back the sealed diced chicken and then simmer gently for 30 minutes. Turn off and then leave to cool. At this stage you can freeze in boxes to suit your needs – remember – you can pull out two boxes if you need to, rather than have to throw away from a larger quantity or, if you're serving the whole pan set aside in a cool place and when you are ready to serve fold in the beans and pop the frying pan, uncovered into a pre-heated oven 180fan/200c/Gas 6 for 20 minutes – check and stir after 10 minutes.

If from frozen, defrost thoroughly in your fridge. Re-heat gently on the stove adding your kidney beans or any of the optional extras!

For the optional extras :

150g small dice or sliced chorizo

sweet baby peppers, de-seeded and

finely sliced

Use a large frying pan and fry the chorizo gently so that it releases its oil. Set the chorizo aside, leaving the oil in the pan.

Sauté the sliced, sweet baby peppers in the chorizo oil.

If you enjoy a spicy hit you can use mixed beans in a chilli sauce instead of ordinary red kidney beans.

Serve with rice if you like but I think it's fab in a bowl with a blob of sour cream served with some rustic bread of your choice on the side or with wraps with bowls of relish of your choice – mango would work well.

Freezing serves dishes like chilli or curry very well – the freezing process allows the spices to develop.

Then there's the photos and a tip!