I had a lot of expenses this month, so until I get paid I want to use up stuff I have in my cupboards and fridge/freezer to avoid over spending. Most of us are at least a little bit of food hoarding. So make the most of what’s already in your house and you’ll have a delicious, healthy, budget friendly one pot meal.
This recipe could be adapted to whatever you have, but the basics were some defrosted chicken thighs, dried rice, frozen vegetables and a tin of coconut milk.
I know I go on sometimes about having a good store cupboard but it can take humble ingredients to the next level. This tastes even better the next day.
Serves 4
Ingredients
4 Large chicken thighs or 8 small (bone in)
1.5 Cups of rice
1 x 400ml Can of Coconut milk
1 Tbsp Oil
3-4 Large handfuls of frozen vegetables, I used a mixture of green beans, peppers and edamame beans, but you can use whatever is in your freezer
1 x Chicken stock cube
1 x Onion (finely sliced)
1 x Red chili (finely chopped), or 1-2 teaspoons of chilli powder
1 x Thumb sized piece of ginger (peeled and finely chopped), or 1 heaped teaspoon of dried ginger)
3 Cloves of garlic (finely chopped), or 1-2 teaspoons of garlic granules
2 Tablespoons of chopped coriander (I had a little pot of this on my window sill that I have somehow been able to keep alive but you can use whichever herbs you might have
2 Spring onions/Scallions (optional, I had some hanging about the fridge)
Juice of half a lime or lemon
Salt to taste
Method
- Heat the oil in a high sided pan with a lid
- Add the chicken to the pan and seal on both sides over a medium/high heat
- Remove the chicken from the pan and fry the onion until it starts to brown before adding frozen vegetables
- Cook for a couple of minutes until the vegetables soften, then add the ginger, garlic and chilli
- Add the rice to the vegetables and stir well
- Crumble the stock cube in the pan and add the can of coconut milk, fill up the empty can with water and pour into the pan
- Place the chicken back in the pan, just before it comes to the boil, cover with the lid and reduce the heat
- Cook for 15 minutes (or until the chicken is cooked through and the rice is soft). Squeeze the lime juice over the rice and stir well. Sprinkle with scallions and coriander
Seaneen's Sunnyside Kitchen 