with Basmati Rice and Honey Grilled Peaches
I love a good curry. And while I’m a bit of a lightweight when it comes to heat, I do love the flavour feast the spices give to the dish. My curries are by no means authentic, but are extremely flavoursome. This Chicken, Chickpea & Coconut Curry is no different.
I’ve served this Chicken, Chickpea & Coconut Curry with fluffy basmati rice, my absolute favourite type of rice, and as an added extra, just because they are in season, I’ve grilled some honey basted peach slices. And an honourary mention has to go to the homemade rotis made by my hubby. Feel free to serve this curry with whatever side you wish though.
Most of you know by now that I love adding fruit to savoury dishes. Once again, if this is not to your taste, please feel free to leave them off.
Some of you might know that I have been on a mission over the last couple of years to support and create awareness about local retailers and small businesses who might not be aware of. One of my favourite go to online retailers is The Olive Basket. Almost every item used in this dish was supplied by The Olive Basket. Please do check out their website.
I’ve used chicken and chickpeas as the protein in this dish. However, this recipe is very easily converted to a vegan dish by purely omitting the chicken.
For a different version, check out my Super Quick Butter Chicken Curry with Lentils & Carrots.
Chicken, Chickpea & Coconut Curry with Basmati Rice and Honey Grilled Peaches
Ingredients
Chicken, Chickpea & Coconut Curry
- 4 Tbsp Olive Oil (divided)
- 500 grams Skinless, boneless chicken breasts (or fillets) cut into fillets
- ½ tsp Dried mixed herbs
- Salt and Pepper to taste
- ½ Large yellow onion finely chopped
- 3 Cloves of garlic crushed
- 1 tsp Medium Curry Powder
- 1 tsp Curry Aromatics*
- 1 tsp Indian Aromatics*
- ½ tsp Garam Masala Aromatics, Masala or Mother in Laws Spice Mix
- ½ tsp Crushed fresh or ground ginger
- ¼ tsp Turmeric
- 2 Tbsp Tomato Paste
- 1 Tin of Diced Chopped Tomatoes
- ½ – 1 Tin of Coconut Milk
- 2 Tins of Chickpeas Drained
- ¼ Cup Fresh coriander or parsley (and more for garnish) Finely chopped
Optional Sides
- 1 Cup Basmati Rice
- 3 – 4 Fresh cling peaches
- Honey for basting
- Ground Cinnamon for sprinkling
- Flaked Coconut for garnish
Instructions
Chicken, Chickpea & Coconut Curry
- Prepare your ingredients and set aside close by
- Next, slice your chicken breasts into fillets, if not using fillets, chop your onion and parsley and crush the garlic. Set aside
- Place a large pan or pot on medium heat. Add half the olive oil and chicken, then season the chicken with salt and pepper and mixed herbs if you wish. Place a lid on and cook for around 2 minutes, then flip the fillets, season and repeat
- Note: The chicken must just be cooked through. Do not overcook as it will cook further in the sauce once shredded
- When the chicken is cooked, remove from the pan and set aside on a plate or cutting board to shred while the sauce is cooking
- Next, return the pan to the heat and add the remaining olive oil. Add the onions, garlic and spices to the oil and cook on medium for 2 – 3 minutes, until the onions have softened and the spices have cooked out a bit. Take care not to burn the spices or brown the onion or garlic as they will become bitter
- Add the tomato paste to the mixture and stir through, then add the tin of chopped tomatoes. Season with salt and pepper to taste and let cook on medium for around 5 minutes
- Note: I like to add a teaspoon on sugar to tomato products to balance out the acid in tomatoes. This is optional though
- While the sauce is cooking, shred the chicken
- When the sauce has cooked for around 5 minutes, I use an immersion/stick blender to blend it smooth. This is optional. Next add the coconut milk to the sauce and stir through (If you like a lot of sauce, add the whole tin, if not, only add half. You can add more later if you wish)
- Add the drained chickpeas to the sauce and stir through
- Then add the shredded chicken and parsley and stir through. Let cook at a steady gently simmer for around 10 minutes, allowing the flavours to develop and the sauce to reduce a little (Take care not to let the sauce boil as it could split the coconut milk)
- Remove from the heat and serve with your choice of side
Optional Sides
Basmati Rice
- If making basmati rice, please follow the instructions on the pack as the amount of water and cooking time will differ from brand to brand. Note that some brands require the rice to be soaked for a couple of hours before cooking
Honey Basted Grilled Peaches
- Wash, dry and half your peaches. Remove the stones then quarter each half. Heat your griddle pan to high and brush with a little olive oil. Then brush the cut sides of the peach slices with a little honey and place on the griddle pan. Cook for a minute or two on each side until you have nice grill marks, then remove and sprinkle with a little ground cinnamon (if you don't have a griddle pan you can use a normal pan, you just won't have the marks but they'll still be delicious)
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