A healthy, turmeric-infused dish with chicken and rice! It has everything you need for an all-in-one, simple dinner that is bursting with warm flavors. Moreover, it provides a fantastic blend of protein, carbs, and hidden vegetables. All around victory.
TURMERIC CHICKEN AND RICE CASSEROLE – A HEALTHY, WEEKNIGHT FAVORITE
This turmeric chicken and rice casserole is a step up from traditional chicken and rice casseroles, I think you'll agree. Whole chicken breasts are nestled under the bright golden rice that is packed with warm and earthy tastes, as well as some sneaky grated carrots for a veggie boost, making it the ideal midweek supper idea.
When everything has finished baking together in the oven, all that's left to do is fluff the rice, remove a chicken breast, and serve. It has curry-like flavors and is simple to make. Absolutely, you can quickly improve your meals' anti-inflammatory effects by adding turmeric!
WHAT YOU NEED FOR THIS CHICKEN CASSEROLE RECIPE
This recipe's name says it all. But, the inclusion of turmeric and other small changes elevates this chicken and rice casserole over the traditional version. It's the ideal marriage of a fresh and comforting flavor, in my opinion.
- Garlic and onion: White onions will also work, but I prefer delicious yellow onions. Furthermore, you'll require a lot of garlic.
Turmeric and ginger - This casserole receives a powerful antioxidant boost from turmeric and ginger as well as a burst of mouthwateringly warming spices.
- Cumin: Cumin is a fantastic spice that enhances the curry-like flavors when combined with turmeric and ginger.
Coconut milk - Make sure to pick up a can of full-fat coconut milk rather than a carton. The canned version aids in giving the chicken and rice moisture as it cooks.
- Basmati Rice: After experimenting with a few various varieties of rice, I discovered that basmati rice retains its light, fluffy texture the best. You might, however,
- Carrot: For a covert vegetable boost, only one large carrot is required.
- Lime: Choose freshly squeezed lime juice over packaged juice!
Cilantro - If you love cilantro as much as I do, feel free to add more per serving! Cilantro is used as a garnish at the very end. You could substitute parsley for cilantro if you don't like it.
HOW TO MAKE THIS CHICKEN AND RICE CASSEROLE
A complete supper prepared in just one hour? Hell yeah! This dish only requires a small amount of preparation, some sautéing, and some baking. Use a 9 x 13-inch baking dish to ensure that everything will cook evenly. To begin, lightly oil it and heat the oven to 350°F (177°C).
Sauté the onion mixture with spices. In another skillet, cook the chopped onions for 3 to 4 minutes, or until they are transparent. Stir for another 30 seconds before adding the garlic, turmeric, salt, pepper, ginger, and cumin. The coconut milk should then be added and gently incorporated until the mixture is smooth.
Everything should be put in the casserole dish. Add the rice, carrot, water, and lime juice to the casserole pan along with the creamy onion mixture. Add the chicken breasts on top after stirring everything together until incorporated. Moreover, you may either flip the chicken breasts with tongs or ladle the creamy sauce over them to give them a little more flavor.
Cook away. Bake the pan for 45 to 50 minutes with the foil covering it. The chicken should be juicy and well-cooked, and the rice should be absolutely tender. If not, give it a few more minutes to cook!
Add some garnish! Before serving, fluff the rice, season the chicken with additional salt and pepper, and top with a generous amount of fresh cilantro.
TURMERIC CHICKEN AND RICE CASSEROLE
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon olive oil or coconut oil
- 1 medium onion, diced
- 4 garlic cloves, minced
- 2 teaspoons ground turmeric
- 1 teaspoon ground ginger
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- ½ teaspoon ground cumin
- 1 can (13.5 ounces) full fat coconut milk
- ¾ cup water
- 1 ¼ cup long grain white rice, rinsed
- 1 large carrot, grated
- 1 lime, juiced (about 2 tablespoons)
- 4 boneless skinless chicken breasts
- roughly chopped fresh cilantro for garnish
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F (177°C). Lightly grease a 9×13-inch casserole pan.
- Heat the oil in a skillet over medium-high heat. Add the onion and saute for 3 to 4 minutes, until slightly translucent.
- Add the garlic, turmeric, salt, pepper, ginger, and cumin, and stir for another 30 seconds. Then add the canned coconut milk and gently stir until there's no longer lumpy coconut milk bits. Transfer the mixture to the casserole pan.
- Add the water, rice, carrot, and lime juice to the casserole pan, and stir together.
- Nestle the chicken breasts on top of the rice mixture (I like to coat both sides of the chicken breast in the liquid for more flavor). Cover the pan with aluminum foil and bake for 45 to 50 minutes, until the rice is tender and the chicken is cooked through.
- Before serving, fluff the rice with a fork, season the chicken with additional salt and pepper, and sprinkle with cilantro.
LISA’S TIPS
- For those who prefer boneless skinless chicken thighs, simply swap them out! Just note thighs might cook a little faster than chicken breasts, depending on how thick they are.
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