Happy Tuesday my friends,
Growing up, I HATED stuffed capsicum. I still don't like my mum’s stuffed capsicum: I didn’t like the flavour or the texture or the sauce it was cooked in, and in the good old days you had to eat what was put in front of you, and that’s that. Not quiet the same way I raised my little chickadees. I would ask each and everyone of my boys: what would you like to eat, darling, spaghetti?, no problem and you sweetie pie? schnitzel? coming up, and a burger for you, cookie? sure no problem and you want shakshuka, pookie? done! I wasn’t going to make my little angels eat anything they didn’t like…
Boy did I make a rod for my own back.. I learnt the hard way that toooo much choice was not such a great idea… Luckily i was able slowly to turn it around, well actually ummm not really. What I did manage to turn around is my aversion to stuffed capsicum. I decided to use one of my favourite Mexican rice and chicken recipes and use it to stuff a yummy roasted red capsicum topped with melted mozzarella. It worked! I loved it and my fussy kids loved it. Except for my youngest he only ate the stuffing…
Ingredients
4 -5 red capsicums, cut in half
2 tablespoon oil
1/4 cup freshly squeezed lemon or lime juice
1 kg chiken thigh fillet, diced
1/4 cup finely chopped fresh coriander
1/2 can (200g) black beans, optional
5 cloves garlic crushed
1 teaspoon ground coriander
1 teaspoon
Ground cumin
1 teaspoon
Fajita seasoning
Salt and pepper to taste
1/4 cup tomato paste
1 cup rice
2-3 cups chicken stock
1-2 cups grated mozzarella depending oh how much you love cheese, we LOVE cheese.
Method
Pre heat the oven to 200c
Spray cut capsicum with oil and place on a baking tray lined with baking paper cut side facing up. Roast for 15 min then take out of the oven and reduce to 180c.
Heat oil on medium heat and add onions until translucent add garlic and stir add spices stir for another min.
Add chicken pieces and stir until chicken pieces are coated with spices.
Cover with lid and allow to cook until chicken is par cooked.
Add rice and beans, chopped coriander and stir, add tomato paste, stir, and stir in 2 cups of stock, bring to the boil then reduce to a simmer.
When liquid has been absorbed by rice, check to see if the rice is cooked. If so, don’t add more stock but if it’s not cooked yet, add 1/2 a cup of the remainder of the stock at a time until it’s cooked through.
Once meal is cooked, stir in lemon juice.
Fill the capsicum with chicken mixture, top with grated cheese, put back in the oven ,and cook until cheese has melted.
Serve hot