I’m trying to expand my repertoire of home cooked batch meals I’m making for the baby at the moment. I’ve mastered a really nice beef stew, Bolognese, chicken and veggie stew, cauliflower cheese although he spat it out! And a fish, potato and spinach mix, but I thought it was about time I added a little more spice to proceedings, so I’ve adapted this take on Moroccan Chicken, I’d make for my husband and I. I’ve dialled down the spice and omitted the chillies, but I have added a small pinch of cinnamon and cumin. Do feel free to add more if you think your baby is ready for it.
½ red pepper, finely chopped
2 medium carrots, finely chopped
½ a small sweet potato, finely chopped
1 small onion, finely chopped
2 dried apricots, finely chopped
1 clove garlic, crushed
1 tin chickpeas
Handful of baby pasta shells (I used the boots baby pasta)
1 tin chopped tomatoes, plus half a tin of water
½ tsp cinnamon
½ tsp cumin
½ chicken breast, finely diced
Squeeze of lemon juice
Start by browning the chicken in a small amount of sunflower oil, then leave aside.
Next add the onion and garlic to the same pan with a little more sunflower oil if required.
Sweat them slowly over a medium heat, then add in the spices.
Next toss in the rest of the veggies and the apricots and allow to soften. Add the chicken back in, followed by the tin of tomatoes and the water, as well as the chickpeas and the squeeze of lemon juice.
Bring to a boil, then turn down the heat and allow to simmer gently on the heat for about 25 minutes. About 10 minutes before the end of cooking time add in a handful of the pasta shells.
Have a taste and once everything is soft, take off the heat and whizz with a hand blender or processor to the desired consistency.