Despite being an accomplished cook, Sara Oteri – who made the top five in Masterchef’s seventh season – appreciates a good shortcut, whether that’s ordering food elsewhere or using meal kits.
When it comes to takeaway, Oteri favours, “Things I don’t have time to do, like Indian or beautifully fermented sourdough pizzas,” she says. “Indian cuisine requires so much effort to be done well, and who’s got 24 hours to prepare a pizza base?”
As for meal kits, her go-to is the “really handy” Old El Paso Burrito Bowl Kit. “We’ve all been there, looking aimlessly in the cupboard and thinking, ‘What the hell am I going to make for dinner?’ But when you see a box like this, half the work is done for you,” she says. “No one likes making decisions when they’re hungry; these kits just take the weight off your shoulders.”
Oteri’s goal when cooking is to create a medley of flavours and for every mouthful to taste different, and the Chilli & Paprika Burrito Bowl Kits from Old El Paso make that easy to achieve – especially when you’re cooking one-handed and with baby on hip, as she often is.
While the kit packs enough flavour on its own, there’s room for experimentation. Oteri uses it as a base for her crunchy corn chip and charred corn burrito bowl, adding more texture, crunch and smokiness to level up the easy meal.
“You’ve probably got a lot of the ingredients lying around at home,” says Oteri, who recommends subbing in similar ingredients rather than dashing to the shops. “If you don’t have chicken, use beef. If you don’t have black beans, use red kidney beans. Swap cabbage for lettuce – it’s so versatile.”
You could even turn your bowls into wraps, or “Go crazy and do a Mexican stir fry – it’s all there.”
“Just lean into it. Don’t be subtle – when you think you’ve got enough lime, add a bit more. The same goes for salt and cumin. If you’ve got time, marinate the chicken for longer,” says Oteri.
“Go hard or go home, especially when it comes to flavour. No one wants a beige meal.”
Sara Oteri’s Crunchy Corn Chip and Charred Corn Burrito Bowl
Serves 4
Prep time: 5 minutes
Cook time: 20 minutes
Ingredients:
500g chicken thighs, diced into bite-sized pieces
1 Old El Paso Chilli & Paprika Burrito Bowl kit
1 can (425g) Old El Paso black beans
1 tomato, chopped
½ tsp cumin seeds
⅓ cup chopped coriander
1 cup red cabbage, shaved
1 tbsp red wine vinegar
Olive oil
Salt
Crunchy charred corn
500g corn on cob, kernels removed (roughly 2 ears of corn)
¼ cup red onion, thinly diced (optional)
¼ packet of Old El Paso Chilli & Paprika Seasoning Mix for chicken (from kit)
½ tsp cumin seeds
Zest of one lime
Handful of corn chips, crushed into small pieces
Green sauce
1 Hass avocado
2 tsp Old El Paso Seasoning Mix (from kit)
Juice of one lime (roughly 20ml)
2 tbsp coriander, chopped
Pinch of salt
1 tbsp water (enough to loosen the mix into a sauce)
Method:
Marinate the chicken in ¾ of the Chilli & Paprika Seasoning Mix from the Old El Paso Chilli & Paprika Burrito Bowl kit, saving the rest for the crunchy charred corn.
For the beans, fry the cumin seeds and tomato in olive oil on medium heat for two minutes, then add the tin of beans (water included). Simmer for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Cook the rice according to packet instructions. For extra fluffy and dry rice, place a paper towel under the saucepan lid and turn the heat down to low for 12 minutes. This absorption method will steam your rice and leave it fluffy, not wet.
To make the crunchy corn, place a frying pan on high heat. Add a little olive oil, then the corn kernels, cumin seeds and red onion. The aim is to get a good char on the corn for a smoky flavour.
Add the remaining Old El Paso Chilli & Paprika Seasoning Mix to the corn and toss until well covered. Remove from heat and add the lime zest and crushed corn chips. Set aside.
Return the empty pan to the heat and fry your chicken. Start on high so the chicken can get some colour, then turn the heat down to medium until the chicken is cooked through.
To make the green sauce, blitz all the ingredients together using a stick blender or whatever blending appliance you have available.
Add red wine vinegar, olive oil and a pinch of salt to the cabbage and gently toss.
To plate up, add the rice first, followed by the chicken, beans, crunchy corn and cabbage in whatever order or arrangement you please. Finally, top with the green sauce.
This article is produced by Broadsheet in partnership with Old El Paso.
