Crispy chipotle chicken with cheesy polenta and jalapeño jam
By:
Pollyanna Coupland
Food producer, delicious.
- Published: 30 Sep 24
- Updated: 9 Oct 24
Smoky, fiery, crispy chicken sits atop a rich bed of sumptuous cheesy polenta flecked with fresh coriander. The speedy jalapeño jam adds a hot and sweet touch of magic on top – a speedy alternative to hot honey.
The chicken mini fillets crisp up brilliantly in an air fryer (see below); discover more easy air fryer recipes.
Before you start
Lightly coating the chicken in polenta gives it a wonderful crisp finish without having to fry it in lots of oil. Easier and healthier!
These crispy chicken strips work a treat in the air fryer. Simply cook at 200ºC for 10-12 minutes, depending on thickness, flipping halfway.
The jalapeño jam will last in the fridge for weeks and is incredibly moreish. If you want to make up a whole jar, weigh out the pickles, then add an equal weight of sugar followed by the same weight of brine, then simmer in a medium pan until you have the right consistency. It will thicken as it cools, so keep it on the looser side.
Ingredients
- 320g chicken mini fillets
- 1 tsp olive oil
- 1 tsp chipotle paste
- 1 tsp dried oregano
- 1 tbsp polenta
For the chilli jam
- 25g pickled jalapeños, finely chopped, plus 30g of their brine
- 25g caster sugar
For the polenta
- 400ml chicken stock, hot
- 100g polenta
- 30g salted butter
- 50g red leicester, grated
- 20g coriander, chopped
Method
- Heat the oven to 190°C/170oC fan/gas 5 and line an oven tray with baking paper. Put the fillets in a bowl with the oil, chipotle paste, dried oregano and a pinch of salt and pepper. Mix until evenly coated, then sprinkle in the 1 tbsp polenta and toss again to coat.
- Lay the chicken out on the lined oven tray and bake for 20 minutes.
- Meanwhile, add the jalapeños, their brine and the sugar to a small saucepan over a medium heat. Simmer until syrupy (about 10 minutes), then set aside.
- For the polenta, pour the stock into a large pan over a medium heat. Whisk in the polenta, then the butter. Stir regularly for 8-10 minutes until cooked and coming away from the sides of the pan. Stir in the cheese and most of the coriander until the cheese melts.
- Divide the polenta between bowls, top with the chicken and a dollop of chilli jam, then scatter with the remaining coriander.
- Recipe from October 2024 Issue
Nutrition
- Calories
- 690kcals
- Fat
- 27g (14g saturated)
- Protein
- 53g
- Carbohydrates
- 56g (14g sugars)
- Fibre
- 2.7g
- Salt
- 2.4g
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Simple but tasty, perfect for a midweek meal and easy to adjust to make more portions.