Coconut ginger chicken

We are in the process of trying to sell our house, so I’m trying to stick to one pot meals. (I don’t need to spend every waking minute re-cleaning the house, thank you very much.) And usually, a one pot meal means that I get to use my favorite pot: a big Le Creuset dutch oven I lovingly call Big Blue.

This is one of those meals that is very simple and turns out beautifully ever time. It also smells amazing while it’s bubbling away in the oven, thanks to the tantalizing aromas of ginger and coconut.

Since we always seem to end up with absurdly large chicken breasts, I usually end up having an extra serving for lunch the next day.

Servings: 4
Time: 50 minutes

Tips

I’m really, really lazy, so I buy freeze-dried herbs and ginger paste. Some days I enjoy chopping herbs or peeling and grating fresh ginger root. But most days, I’m just rushing to get food on the table. Now you know.

If you’re using fresh ginger on a regular basis, I recommend getting a ginger grater. It lets you get all the juice and pulp without a lot of the dense fibers in the root.

Ingredients

• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, trimmed and patted dry
• Salt and freshly ground pepper
• 1 small yellow onion, finely diced (optional)
• 2 tbsp fresh ginger, peeled and grated
• 1 (13.5 oz) can full fat coconut milk
• 1-1/2 c long-grain white rice
• 1/2 c unsweetened shredded coconut
• 2 tbsp cilantro, chopped
• 1 lime, halved

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 400º F.
2. In a large, oven-safe pan, heat the olive oil over medium heat until shimmering.
3. Season the chicken with salt and pepper. Brown lightly on both sides. 5-10 minutes. Transfer to a plate and set aside.
4. De-glaze the pan with a splash of chicken broth.
5. If using onion, add the onion and the ginger to the pan and cook until the onion is translucent. 3-5 minutes. If not using onion, add the ginger to the pan when you add the liquids in the next step.
6. Pour the coconut milk and chicken broth into the pan and bring to a boil.
7. Add the rice and cook until some of the liquid is absorbed by the rice. 5-7 minutes.
8. Place the chicken on top of the rice and sprinkle with the coconut.
9. Bake 20-25 minutes, or until the chicken reaches an internal temperature of 165º F. There should still be a little liquid bubbling at the edge of the pan.
10. Sprinkle with cilantro and squeeze the lime over the entire dish.

Serve with salad or with a Japanese cucumber salad.

Ready to eat.

Your dish should look like this before you pop it in the oven.

Beautifully browned.

Where is Smell-O-Vision when you need it?

Adapted from Tyler Florence’s Start Fresh cookbook .