Chicken Hash
(based on Ina's recipe)
2 cups of cooked chicken, cubed or shredded into medium, bite-sized pieces
1-2 onions, chopped
4 red or yellow peppers, de-seeded and chopped
2 potatoes (I like Yukon Golds), cubed and cooked
¼ cup tomato paste
splash of white wine or chicken stock (or water as a last resort)
a pinch of thyme
salt and pepper to taste
I use dark meat almost exclusively when I cook chicken. Dark meat has a higher fat content and fat = flavor. The fat also keeps the meat moist. And dark meat's cheaper than white meat. Basically, it's a winner all around.
If you start with skin-on, bone-in chicken thighs, you can roast the chicken in the oven or poach it. I tend to choose poaching because bring a pot of water to the boil is always faster than preheating an oven. You can also shortcut this recipe by buying a rotisserie chicken from the grocery store, though I generally find them to be dry and woody.
Cube the potatoes (skin on or off, depending on how you like it) and boil them until they are just cooked through. Beware not to cook them too long, or the potatoes will completely disintegrate when you try to combine everything. Set the potatoes aside with the chicken.
In a large pot or pan, sauté the onions and peppers in a little oil over medium heat until they're browned and softened. Add the tomato paste and stir everything around for a while, to cook out the raw tomato paste flavor. Deglaze with a splash of white wine or chicken stock.
Add the cooked chicken and potatoes. Season with thyme, salt and pepper to taste. (Instead of thyme, you could also use a pinch of cumin or paprika.) It's nice to garnish this dish with some fresh green herbs. I like cilantro, but parsley or scallions will also work.
Additions: If they're in season, it's great to add some avocado to this dish (off the heat, just before you're ready to serve). Or if you're eating it for breakfast, go ahead and throw a couple of fried eggs on top.
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