CHICKEN BRIYANI
Briyani is a classic Indian dish that may be served during the holidays or any celebratory or everyday meal. It is a rice dish usually served with some kind of meat, although it may be vegetarian as well. The herbs and spices are what make the dish, and I have thrown my own twist on to make it WildFit Approved. Try for an evening meal or a dish at a holiday feast! As with most Indian dishes, the delicacy will come from the patience of allowing all the flavours to meld together.
Ingredients
- 1/3 cup Basil shredded
- 1/2 Cup Almond Diced
- 3 Pieces garlic Diced
- 2 Tbsp. Ginger root Diced
- 1 Large Onion Diced
- 2 Tbsp. Coconut Oil
- 1 Large Cauliflower
- 1.5 Lb. Chicken Breast Chopped
- 2 Tsp. Garam Masala
- 1/2 Tsp. Sea Salt
- 1 Tsp. Ground Turmeric
- 1/3 Cup olive oil
- 1 Cup Halved Cherry Tomatoes
- ¾ Cup Organic Chicken Broth
- ½ Cup Chopped Fresh Mint
- 5 Strands Saffron
- 1 Cup Coconut Milk
- ½ Cup Raisins OPTIONAL
Instructions
- Salt and season the chicken- mixing the chopped chicken with the sea salt and garam masala. Once evenly coated, put the dish in the fridge. This will help to flavour and moisten the meat.
- Create the sauce for the dish using the chopped vegetables and herbs. Combine the cherry tomatoes, mint, garlic, onions, ginger, and olive oil, and stir together well to combine. Allow the flavours to meld while the chicken is seasoning
- If possible, make this sauce ahead of time and let chill in the refrigerator overnight to make sure the flavours are really well combined and the herbs & spices have released their oils into the olive oil
- Cut your cauliflower into florets. Place inside a high powered blender or food processor and pulse for 10-20 seconds. Scrape down the sides to remove any cauliflower sticking to the side. Once cauliflower is evenly riced, set aside.
- Once you have your riced cauliflower, pour into a pot and cover it with water. Add in a bay leaf or two as well as a sprinkling of cloves and the turmeric. A large part of this dish is the soft, well seasoned rice, so you need to recreate that with the cauliflower. Once the pot is boiling, covered, reduce the heat and simmer 20 minutes until the cauliflower is soft and the water is absorbed.
- When you are ready to make dinner, this is how things will go: Heat a large skillet on medium-high heat. Add a small amount of coconut oil to coat the pan and add the seasoned chicken, cooking for 3-5 minutes to brown it on all sides. Next, pour in the vegetable sauce mixture and stir to distribute the oil well. Stir every couple of minutes to make sure the chicken is cooking evenly.
- At the same time, pour the coconut oil into a small saucepan and add the saffron, if using. Bring to a simmer on medium low heat, adding the raisins to simmer too (IF USING). Once fragrant, after 5 minutes or so, stir in the broth and heat through- let the liquid reduce and thicken somewhat as the chicken is cooking.
- To serve, plate the cauliflower rice, and top with chicken and vegetables. Then, pour the coconut sauce over each plate.
- Finally, sprinkle with sliced almonds and top with shredded basil (or cilantro) leaves. Alternatively, mix it all together in the big pot and serve in shallow bowls- it is really your preference! The flavour medley and array of colours will speak for themselves.
Notes
For Wildfit Spring, omit raisins and cherry tomatoes.
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!
