Comfort Food Recipe: Chicken Casserole

It's the time of year we turn to comfort foods to warm us up and make us feel cozy... But often comfort foods are high in unhealthy fat and refined carbs, leading to a little extra "insulation" on our bodies and cravings for more.

This recipe is a healthful comfort meal, adapted from a recipe by Rachael Ray. It's made with whole ingredients that give you a balance of whole grains, lean protein, and nutrient dense veggies... AND it's really tasty! Have a serving of this on its own or with a green leafy salad on the side (spinach would be good) and you've got a really satisfying meal. It's high in fibre (to keep your arteries and intestines clean and clear), B-vitamins (good for energy and metabolism), and healthy "medium chain" fats from coconut that support the thyroid and are readily converted to energy (rather than adding to body fat). You can enjoy a healthy portion of this, without fear of packing on the pounds!

Chicken, Mushroom, Broccoli, & Brown Rice Bake with Leeks
makes 3 large or 4 small servings

Ingredients

Rice:
1 cup + 3 Tbsp chicken stock
3/4 cup brown rice

Chicken Mixture:
1/2 Tbsp butter
2 leeks
6 oz cremini mushrooms, sliced thickly
1 cup broccoli florets
1/2 tsp sea salt
2 large (organic) chicken breasts (1 lb) - cut into thin(ish) slices/chunks
1/2 cup chicken stock
1 tsp arrowroot flour
1/2 cup coconut milk
black pepper to taste

Optional topping:
1/4 cup freshly grated parmesan cheese

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350F and have a 1.5-2L casserole dish ready.
   
2. Bring 1 cup + 3 Tbsp of chicken stock to a boil. Spread rice in bottom of casserole dish and pour boiling stock on top. Cover tightly with 2 layers of aluminum foil, put dish on a baking sheet, and place in oven for 30 minutes.
3. Cut leeks in half, then slice them 1/4 inch thick (discard greens). Place in a large bowl with water, swirl a few times, then let sit a few minutes for any dirt to fall to the bottom. Then using your hands transfer leeks to a strainer to drain.
4. Melt butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Add leeks and saute until soft, about 5 minutes. Add mushrooms and salt, an saute another 5 minutes until mushrooms are soft but not overcooked. Stir in chicken and chicken broth, bring to a low simmer and cook for several minutes.
5. Put arrowroot flour in a small bowl, and add1 tbsp of coconut milk. Mix to make a slurry.
   
6. Add remaining coconut milk to chicken mixture and cook a few minutes while stirring. Add slurry and cook another 3-5 minutes until it thickens. Remove from heat.
7. Once rice has baked for 30 minutes, remove from oven and carefully remove tin foil. Spoon chicken mix evenly over the top. Cover tightly again with tin foil (use towels to avoid burns), and return to oven for another 25 to 30 minutes, until liquid has been absorbed and it's bubbly around the edges.
8. Remove foil, and if desired, add parmesan cheese and return to oven until cheese melts and has browned in places.
9. Once removed from oven, allow to sit about 5-10 minutes before serving.
   

Enjoy!

Paprika Chicken

I've been posting a lot of vegetarian recipes lately, so I thought it's time to give some love to the carnivores out there. This is one of my favourite go-to chicken dishes. It uses chicken thighs (boneless, skinless). If you prefer chicken breast you can substitute but it's a little dry that way and I promise you, it is much juicier and yummier using the dark meat.

You might be under the impression that dark meat has too much saturated fat and that it's therefore not a healthy choice. It is true, the dark meat of poultry is fattier. However, a certain amount of saturated fat in the diet is required for the health of all body cells. As always, all things in moderation, so other food selections that day or week may be a little lighter to compensate for this heavier fat choice. And, along with that saturated fat you will find higher Omega-3 and Omega-6 (essential fats that your body cannot manufacture) in the dark meat. As well, dark meat provides more zinc, riboflavin, niacin, thiamin, vitamins B6 and B12, amino acids, and iron than white meat. Dark meat is not the villain it has been made out to be. If you enjoy the dark meat, enjoy it as a nice change from the breast meat now and again!

Ingredients
8-12 organic boneless skinless chicken thighs
1 onion
2 cloves garlic
1 can (284 mL) chicken broth
2 tbsp paprika
1 tsp sea salt
1/2 tsp pepper

Directions
Spray a large nonstick fry pan with cooking spray and brown the chicken at med-high. Brown all sides.

Chop the onion finely and add to the pan as you cut. Add garlic and saute for 1 min.

Add broth and spices to browned chicken and stir. Bring to a boil and cover. Reduce heat to med-low for a high simmer. Set timer for 45 min.

Baste occasionally (or turn chicken pieces over to get full coverage). The liquids will end up boiling into the chicken.

If there are still a lot of liquids left in the last 15 minutes turn up the heat a bit until the liquid is gone and the chicken is an orangey colour. It's going to look like it's never going to absorb, but it will do so quickly in the last 15 min. It does not make a sauce, just makes the chicken itself saucy (it's up to you really, once the liquid is boiled down to a consistency you like, it's ready!).

Serving suggestions
I enjoy this with green beans, a little brown rice or a spinach salad!

Recipe from allrecipes.com