Spiced Chicken and Rice Stew
Your house will smell of savory spices while this stew is cooking, quite a nice way to cheer up a cool, Autumn evening. Serve with a large, raw green or cabbage salad for maximum digestion. When cooking this stew start with the lesser amount of spices and garlic. Taste the stew towards the end of cooking time to determine if it needs more of anything then add them at this time. Add a little extra sea salt to bring up the flavor if needed. If you don't have smoked paprika on hand use regular paprika, they both work well here.
3 to 4 tablespoons 4 to 6 olive oil
1 large onion, chopped
3 to 4 cloves garlic, crushed
2 to 3 teaspoons ground cumin
1 to 2 teaspoons dried oregano
1 teaspoon smoked paprika
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
2 teaspoons Herbamare or sea salt
1 to 1 1/2 pounds (raw) organic chicken, cut into cubes
1 red bell pepper, chop
3 carrots, diced
5 cups water or chicken stock
6 tablespoons tomato paste
2 cups cooked short grain brown rice
chopped fresh parsley
Heat a 6-quart pot over medium-high heat. Add the olive oil then the onions and saute until soft and starting to turn color, abut 6 to 7 minutes. Add the garlic and saute 30 seconds more.
Then add the cubed chicken, spices (cumin though black pepper), and Herbamare. Saute for a few minutes. Then add diced red bell pepper and carrots; saute a minute more.
Next add the water or stock, tomato paste, and rice. Add more rice for a thicker stew if desired. Simmer on medium-low heat for about 25 minutes.
