Quinoa Chicken Curry
A wholesome all in one comforting and quick dish that’s packed with flavour. It’s the perfect family gathering dish that can be brought from the oven to the table – just the way it should be. The quinoa in this dish adds extra protein making it a super versatile gluten-free grain option for those looking for a healthier alternative.
Ingredients
- 300 g quinoa rinsed and drained
- 8 chicken thighs with skin (I prefer to keep the thigh on the bone)
- 2 tbsp. butter or light in colour olive or coconut oil
- 400 ml coconut milk organic (I recommend the brand Biona)
- 1 onion finely chopped
- 4 garlic cloves crushed
- 1 chicken stock cube (gluten-free if required) dissolved in 4 tbsp. boiling water
- 2 tbsp. mild madras or garam masala curry powder
- sea salt
- cracked black pepper
Garnish
- coriander
Serving suggestion
- mango chutney
- spinach
Instructions
- Pre-heat the oven to 425°F, gas mark 7, 220°C (200°Cfan-assisted).
- Thoroughly rinse the quinoa through a fine mesh sieve under running water for a couple of minutes then drain.
- Seal your chicken in ½ tbsp. oil or butter over a medium/high heat until nicely browned on both sides. I start with the flesh side down for 5 minutes, then turn over skin side down for a further 5 minutes, it might take 10 -15 minutes in total to get the chicken crispy on both sides.
- Season both sides of the sealed chicken with sea salt and cracked black pepper and the curry powder. Using kitchen gloves (to stop your hands from staining), massage in the curry spices.
- In a 29cm casserole dish, add 1½ tbsp. oil or butter and sauté the finely chopped onion over a medium/high heat until soft and translucent. Add the minced garlic and cook for 2 minutes (be careful not to burn the garlic) then add the drained quinoa and mix together, making a bed of quinoa at the bottom of the casserole dish. Dissolve the chicken stock in 4 tbsp. boiling water. Add the coconut milk to quinoa and the chicken stock and bring up to a medium heat, so the coconut milk has a gentle bubble. Add in the chicken thighs skin side facing upwards and cover place in the pre-heated oven for 45 minutes, then remove the lid and leave for a further 5 minutes to crispen.
- Bring from the oven straight to the table and garnish with coriander.
- I love to serve with my favourite mango chutney, andusually my choice of greens is spinach, but feel free to serve with your choic eof greens.
- If you make this recipe, I’d LOVE to see how you get on so please either send me a photo to lisa@myrelationshipwithfood.com or post a picture to Instagram using the #myrelationshipwithfood and tag@myrelationshipwithfood
Notes
LISA’S TIP – If you do have leftovers of this dish, you can serve it cold the next day. As a serving suggestion, I would serve this alongside a chopped salad of cucumber, tomato and onion.
This is a delightful dish, with a mild curry flavour, which you can accentuate by adding more cumin and coriander to the spice mix. Curry powder itself is a popular spice that has numerous health benefits, including the prevention of cancer and protection against heart disease, eases pain and reduces inflammation also helps to protect the immune system from bacterial infections.
