This is a crispy rice type pie with a smooth creamy tomato flavour.
The rice is made crisp by putting oil on the top before baking.
Preparation Time: 20 minutes
Cooking Time: 50 minutes
Makes: 3 servings
Ingredients
¼ cup Greek yoghurt
¼ tsp cinnamon
1 tbsp tomato paste
¼ tsp chili powder or flakes
½ tsp garam masala
550 g chicken breast fillets, cut into about 4 cm pieces
20 g butter
1 shallot, chopped
1 small red capsicum, chopped
1 garlic clove, chopped
½ cup tomato puree
½ tbsp coconut sugar
About 3 tbsp cream
Oil spray
Toasted almond slivers
Coriander, to serve (optional)
For the rice topping
¾ cup basmati rice
Few threads of saffron
½ cup frozen peas
Method
Preheat the oven to 220°/200° fan forced.
Mix the tomato paste, yoghurt, cinnamon, chili flakes, and garam masala in a bowl.
Add the chicken pieces and mix so they are well coated. Keep aside.
For the rice topping
Put the rice and water in a saucepan and cook over a high heat.
Stir it with a fork and sprinkle with the saffron threads.
Cover, bring to the boil and then reduce the heat to low and simmer for about 10 minutes or until the liquid is just absorbed and the rice is almost done. Remove from the heat and add the peas.
Season with salt and pepper and stir again with a fork.
Meanwhile, melt the butter in a wok or similar and cook the onion, stirring for about 3 minutes, and then add the capsicum.
Cook, stirring again for another 5 minutes or until the onion is soft. Add the garlic and stir for a minute.
Add the chicken pieces with their marinade and cook, stirring for a few minutes or until the chicken just starts to change colour. As usual, do not overcook chicken breast or it becomes tough.
Add the tomato puree and sugar and cook until they are combined. Keep cooking until it simmers, reduce the heat and simmer for 5 minutes.
Stir in the cream and add some salt and pepper.
Spray a 4 cup ovenproof dish/pan and put the chicken mixture into this.
Spray the rice liberally with oil and put it over the chicken mixture, levelling it slightly.
Bake for 25 - 30 minutes or until the top is starting to brown, and becomes crunchy.
Top with almonds and coriander leaves (optional), and serve.
Also good heated up for the next few days.
Categories
#Dinner
#Family
#Pie
#Lunch
#Snack
#Chicken
#Rice