Dr Rupy's coconut chicken with spicy peas and potatoes
Dr Rupy believes that what we put on our plate is the best medicine for fighting off illnesses and life-threatening diseases - and it’s never too late to start eating well!
He’s in the kitchen today to tell us what foods could boost your brain power, heart health and immunity. And he’s got a dinner for tonight that does all three - an easy chicken coconut curry with spicy peas and potatoes.
Dr Rupy says: I love making this one-pan dish. The turmeric and mustard seeds deliver delicious earthy notes, while the onion and chilli bring heat to result in a well-balanced, complex flavour. The peas and potatoes are the stars of this meal, as they provide nutrient density and fibre. I like to serve this dish with a simple green side salad, and it makes a great lunch the next day.
Coconut chicken with spicy peas and potatoes
Serves: 4
Ingredients
2 tbsp coconut oil
½ red onion, thinly sliced
3 garlic cloves, roughly chopped
1 red chilli, deseeded and roughly chopped
2 tsp black mustard seeds
5 cm piece of root ginger, peeled and grated
1 tsp ground turmeric
3cm stick cinnamon stick (or ½ tsp ground cinnamon)
4 bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs
200ml coconut milk
200ml vegetable stock (use a stock cube dissolved in water if needed)
200g peas (fresh or frozen)
500g peeled sweet potatoes, cut into 3cm cubes
100g spinach, roughly chopped
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
10g fresh coriander, leaves and stalks, finely chopped, to serve
Method
Preheat the oven to 200C / 180C fan / gas 6
Melt the coconut oil in a large ovenproof saucepan or casserole dish over a medium heat
Add the onion, garlic, chilli, mustard seeds and ginger with some salt and pepper and saute for 3 - 4 minutes, then stir the turmeric and cinnamon into the oil and cook for a minute before adding the chicken skin down. Fry the chicken gently for 5-6 minutes, stirring every now and again to ensure the onions don’t burn, until the skin lightly browns.
Flip the chicken thighs over and pour in the coconut milk and stock. Add the peas, sweet potato cubes and spinach, making sure they are all covered in the coconut sauce. Cover with a lid and transfer the pan to the oven and bake for 30 minutes until the chicken is cooked through (the juices run clear when you pierce the thighs with a sharp knife) and the sweet potato is soft.
Remove from the oven and serve garnished with the coriander
VARIATION – try swapping the chicken for fish, or even cooked chickpeas for a vegetarian version
TIP - Garnish the dish with toasted coconut flakes or toasted almonds, for added crunch and texture