Stewed Shredded Chicken

Stewed Shredded Chicken in Belize is most popularly eaten in tacos, johnny cake and breakfast. It can also be found in burgers by vendors who walk around selling at the bus terminals countrywide. This method of chicken preparation is owed to the Mayas as it is seasoned with Belize’s traditional meat seasoning – red recado. Red recado is made from annato seeds and a blend of other spices.

 

INGREDIENTS:

Clean and deskin chicken

1 lb chicken (cut up)

1 tsp red recado powder/ small piece of recado paste

1 tsp salt

1 tsp black pepper

¼ tsp ground cumin

1 small onion, diced

1small sweet pepper, diced

3 cloves garlic, minced

1 cup cilantro, chopped

cooking oil

water

 

DIRECTIONS:

1.      Cut chicken parts into small pieces to allow quicker cooking.

2.     Rub the chicken pieces with the recado making sure each piece is lightly coated.

3.     Add the salt, black pepper and ground cumin. Massage well into the chicken pieces.

4.     Add the onion, garlic, sweet pepper and cilantro. Mix well.

5.     Let marinate for about 30 minutes (optional).

6.     In a saucepan, or any pot large enough to hold all the pieces of chicken, add cooking oil to lightly cover the bottom and heat.

7.     Add the seasoned chicken pieces to the pot. Add water to the container to rinse out the seasonings left behind and add to the pot. Add water until it barely covers the chicken.

8.     Cook on high heat for about an hour or until the chicken meat can easily come off the bone.

Allow the chicken to cool for a bit before deboning and shredding with two forks or clean hands.

10  Put the shredded chicken back into the pot and simmer until most of the gravy boils down.

11  Ready to eat!