Curried Chicken Breasts with Coconut Almond Pilaf

When I was first married I used to cook comfort food dishes that featured chicken breasts, rice, and cream of mushroom soup - and though I still enjoy casseroles and dishes made with these combinations, my palette has changed over the years as I have learned to experiment with new flavours.

Today's recipe represents an adaptation of that comfort classic with an Indian/Thai Kitchen Witch twist.

Not only is this dish delicious, it plates beautifully - and though it is as easy to put together as those comfort dishes of yore, the taste and presentation has a wow factor that takes an everyday idea into a whole new realm.

I hope you enjoy!

You can watch a live cooking demo here...




Curried Chicken Breasts with Coconut Almond Pilaf
For printable recipe click Here 

Ingredients

• 4 boneless skinless chicken breasts
• 1/2 tsp each: salt, pepper, garlic, and onion powder - mix together
• 1 can coconut milk
• 3 Tbsp green curry paste
• 1/2 tsp Asian Chili Garlic Sauce
• 1 Tbsp brown sugar
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1 tsp lemon juice
• 1 Tbsp curry powder
• 2 Tbsp cornstarch mixed with 1 Tbsp water to form a slurry

Rice Ingredients

• 1/2 cup sliced almonds
• 1/2 cup coconut
• 1 cup or one small tin canned mandarin oranges
• 2 sliced green onions
• 1 cup basmati rice

Directions

1.  Preheat oven to 350
2. Spray a shallow casserole dish with cooking spray. Sprinkle chicken breasts on both sides with the salt, pepper, garlic, onion  powder mixture and place in casserole.
3. In a large bowl, mix together the coconut milk, curry paste, chili garlic sauce, brown sugar, salt, lemon juice, and curry powder. Pour over chicken, cover, and bake for 55 minutes. 
4. When chicken has baked for 55 minutes, remove from oven and add the cornstarch slurry. Stir well into sauce, cover, and return to oven for five minutes. This will perfectly thicken the sauce.
5. When the chicken has been in the oven 40 minutes, begin cooking the rice according to package directions. 
6. In a non stick pan, toast the sliced almonds and coconut over medium heat, stirring constantly until the almonds are golden brown and the coconut is brown and crispy. Set aside until ready to serve. 
7. When the rice is cooked, add the green onions, mandarin oranges, and 1/2 the toasted almond and coconut mixture. Stir and place a dollop of the rice onto a plate. 
8. Place a chicken breast over the rice, and spoon a generous amount of sauce over all. 
9. When each chicken breast is plated, top each with an equal amount of the reserved toasted almond and coconut mixture.

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Author:

Lyndsay Wells is a professional trainer, writer, and program developer with a passion for food and cooking. She is an award winning recipe developer, and a website ambassador for Kraft Foods Canada. Lyndsay believes cooking should be approachable and easy and has great tips and ideas for putting together sophisticated looking dishes that cooks of all levels can accomplish.

Visit her daily on her blog, The Kitchen Witch or on her YouTube Channel, CHARMED With The Kitchen Witch.