Foodaware

Neven Maguire

By Neven Maguire

Celebrity Chef

As heard on the Brendan O’Connor Show on RTÉ Radio 1.

Ingredients

Serves 4–6

I like to make this with chicken thighs, but I’d always get my butcher to prep them for me by removing the skin, trimming them and removing the bones. Otherwise breasts also work well, and because the heat of the slow cooker is so gentle, they stay nice and moist. Use pumpkin instead of the butternut squash if it’s in season.

Prep: 25 mins
Cook: 4.5 hours

• 4 tbsp rapeseed oil
• 2 large onions, roughly chopped
• 4 garlic cloves, finely chopped
• 1 × 2.5cm (1in) piece of fresh root
• ginger, peeled and finely chopped
• 2 tbsp mild curry powder or paste
• 2 tsp ground turmeric
• 2 tsp ground cinnamon
• 2 × 400g (14oz) tins of Italian chopped tomatoes
• 500g (1lb 2oz) boneless, skinless
• chicken cubes (thigh or breast)
• 1 butternut squash, peeled, deseeded and cut into cubes
• 2 tbsp clear honey about 450ml (¾ pint)
• Chicken stock (from a cube is fine)
• sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

Garnish:

• Chopped fresh mint and/or coriander
• Roughly chopped toasted pistachio nuts

To serve:

• Couscous
• Natural yoghurt

Method

1. Preheat your slow cooker according to the manufacturer’s instructions. If your slow cooker has a
2. sauté option, you can use this; if not, use a large sauté pan on the hob over a medium heat.
3. Heat the oil, then add the onions and sauté for 8–10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until they are softened
4. and have taken on a little colour.
5. Add the garlic and ginger and sauté for another 3–4 minutes. Stir in the curry powder or paste, turmeric and cinnamon and cook for 1 minute. Pour in the tomatoes and carefully blend to a thick purée with a hand-held blender.
6. Using a spatula, transfer to the slow cooker (if you have used a separate pan). Stir the chicken into the tomato base along with the butternut squash and honey, adding enough stock to make a thick-ish sauce that barely covers all the ingredients.
7. Season with salt and pepper.
8. Cover and cook on low for 4 hours, until the chicken and butternut squash are completely tender.
9. When ready to serve, make the couscous according to the packet instructions and spoon into wide-rimmed bowls. Ladle over the tagine and add a dollop of yoghurt to each one, then scatter the herbs and pistachio nuts on top to garnish.

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