Chipotle Chicken with Smoky Tomato Rice & Charred Corn Salsa

Steps

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1. 1
   Cut 1 kg of chicken thigh fillets into roughly 3–4 cm pieces to provide good surface area for the sauce to coat.
   ▶ ≈0:11
2. 2
   Finely dice one brown or yellow onion. The onion will dissolve into the rice's base flavor rather than provide texture.
   ▶ ≈0:18
3. 3
   Mince two garlic cloves for the sauce and three for the rice. Mincing finely ensures the garlic disappears into the sauce and rice rather than being bitten into.
   ▶ ≈0:32
4. 4
   Cut one red bell pepper into a slightly larger dice. This will go into the fresh salsa, so you want to keep some bite for texture contrast.
   ▶ ≈0:45
5. 5
   Zest the limes first, then juice them. Zest before juicing because it's difficult to zest an already-squeezed lime.
   ▶ ≈1:04
6. 6
   Season the chicken with 2 tsp smoked paprika, 1 tsp ground cumin, 1 tsp garlic powder, 1 tsp onion powder, and salt and black pepper. Season generously as the surface seasoning will flavor the entire dish.
   ▶ ≈1:17
7. 7
   Heat a large pan, add 1 tbsp olive oil, and sear the chicken pieces in a single layer for 6–7 minutes without crowding, until deeply golden. Don't stir too much—you're building flavor, not cooking through.
   ▶ ≈1:31
8. 8
   Remove the chicken from the pan but leave all the browned bits. Add the diced onion to the same pan and sauté over medium-high heat for 2–3 minutes until translucent. Add a touch of salt.
   ▶ ≈1:59
9. 9
   Add the minced garlic, 1 tbsp tomato paste, and 1 tsp smoked paprika. Cook for about 1 minute until fragrant and the spices bloom in the fat. This is the flavor base for the rice.
   ▶ ≈2:12
10. 10
    Add 300 g of rice and stir for about 1 minute to lightly toast it and coat it in all the flavors. Pour in 500 ml of stock, stir well to ensure no clumps, then bring to a boil.
    ▶ ≈2:32
11. 11
    Reduce heat to low, cover the pan, and simmer for 12–15 minutes without lifting the lid to allow the rice to steam through.
    ▶ ≈2:52
12. 12
    While the rice cooks, make the sauce in a small pan with 2 tbsp tomato paste, 200 ml stock, 2 tbsp chopped chipotle in adobo, 2 minced garlic cloves, and 1 tbsp honey. Simmer for 5 minutes, stirring regularly, until it thickens and coats the back of a spoon.
    ▶ ≈3:05
13. 13
    Return the cooked chicken to the sauce along with any resting juices and toss until every piece is glossy and coated. Cook for another couple of minutes to ensure the chicken is cooked through and the sauce is properly reduced. Finish with the juice of one lime.
    ▶ ≈3:29
14. 14
    Heat a separate pan over high heat with no oil. Add 300 g of frozen corn and stir regularly, letting it pop and spit. In the first few minutes, let it sit to build char. The charred spots add smoky flavor. Don't let it burn.
    ▶ ≈3:54
15. 15
    Turn off the heat once the corn is charred, then mix in 400 g drained and rinsed black beans and the diced red pepper. Optionally add 20 g fresh coriander for freshness. Season with salt and pepper and mix well.
    ▶ ≈4:25
16. 16
    Mix 150 g Greek yogurt with the reserved lime zest, the juice of one lime, and one grated garlic clove. Season with salt and white pepper if desired. Whisk together. If too thick to drizzle, thin with a splash of water, but lime juice usually suffices.
    ▶ ≈4:52
17. 17
    Portion the lime crema into separate containers. Keep it separate because sitting on hot rice for five days will make it watery and lose its bright punch.
    ▶ ≈5:25
18. 18
    Portion into five meal prep containers: rice first as the base (it has a beautiful orange tint), then the corn salsa beside it, then the chipotle chicken on top with sauce. Divide everything into five equal portions and repeat.
    ▶ ≈5:37
19. 19
    When ready to eat, reheat and top with the fresh lime crema. Take a bite with all the components together for perfect balance.
    ▶ ≈6:11