My friend Jamie (Jam Jam) gave me this recipe last year but it’s fairly seasonal in that you need pumpkin which we only seem to be able to get around Halloween. I also really wanted to try and find Grace Cock Chicken Soup, which I found at the lovely Caribbean stall in Kirkgate Market. The soup is sweet but has a real kick thanks to the scotch bonnet in it!

{Makes 6 portions}

40 mins – Prep time: 15 mins – Cooking time: 25 mins

Ingredients

• 6 boneless chicken thighs
• ¼ medium pumpkin
• ½ butternut squash
• 400ml coconut milk
• 1 onion
• 1 leek
• 1 scotch bonnet
• 1 pack Grace Cock Soup (if you can’t find it then use any pack of chicken noodle soup)
• 1 chicken stock cube
• 10g butter
• 2tbsp corn starch

Instructions

1. Roughly slice the onion and leeks, and cube the pumpkin and butternut squash into easily edible chunks.
2. In a large saucepan, sweat the onions and leeks by softening the butter and then gently simmer the onions and leeks with the lid on the saucepan until they soften.
3. Toss the chicken thighs in the corn starch, and add to the onions and leeks, frying for 2 or 3 minutes.
4. Add in the butternut squash, pumpkin, cock soup mix, coconut milk, stock cube and about 150ml of water. Then add in the scotch bonnet, leaving it whole. Season well.
5. Simmer for 20-25 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the chicken is cooked and the vegetables are soft. Then remove the scotch bonnet (word to the wise: Someone will get a horrid surprise if you don’t!).
6. Fish out the chicken thighs and shred using two forks, then put back into the stew.
7. Serve with corn bread or tiger bread, to mop up all the delicious spicy coconut juice.