~Amanda~
I’ve made it halfway through the Whole30 and I am feeling great and loving it. One of the things I love most about doing the Whole30 is the fact that it has forced me to think differently about all the foods I eat and recipes I make, and in turn I have done so much research and found so many new recipes over the past few weeks. I love trying out new recipes and this one for Indian style Chicken with Mint Chutney and Curried Pineapple Cauliflower Rice has been one of my favorites of my Whole30 so far. The original recipe comes from Melissa Joulwan’s Well Fed, it’s so unique and delicious and I only made a few minor changes to her recipe to suit my tastes. I will admit that even though the chicken is incredibly juicy and flavorful, my favorite part of the dish was the Curried Pineapple Cauliflower Rice; it’s like nothing I’ve made before and the warm nutty flavor from the almonds combined with the sweet pineapple, and toasted cauliflower is simply divine.
The first step in making this dish is to prepare and marinate the chicken. The marinade is made by combining traditional Indian flavors like cardamom, cumin, paprika, ginger, and cayenne with delicious fatty coconut milk. You then place the chicken breasts in the marinade and let them sit for at least two hours to overnight. When it comes time to bake the chicken, they are packed full of flavor and the thick coconut milk gets absorbed into them keeping them so juicy. It’s almost impossible to overcook and dry out these chicken breasts (which I will admit I have a tendency to do because I’m always so paranoid about undercooking my chicken). While the chicken is marinating you can make the mint chutney to go over top. This is as simple as throwing all the ingredients in a blender (or small food processor) and combining. The fresh mint aroma will fill your house with the most amazing smell, you’ll be drooling already.
Finally, before you get the chicken in the oven, prepare the Curried Pineapple Cauliflower Rice so they can be cooking at the same time. If you have not yet tried cauliflower rice, you are missing out! It’s surprisingly similar to rice in both taste and texture (obviously it’s not exactly the same, but it definitely satisfies those starchy cravings I get on the Whole30). You make the rice by pulsing cauliflower in the food processor, you then combine it with sweet pineapple and nutty almonds and top it with coconut oil and curry powder. Now it’s time to roast the chicken and cauliflower rice. Everything will be done at the same time and you’re ready to enjoy one amazing meal. Serve the chicken topped with the Mint Chutney and the cauliflower rice on the side. This meal is warm, comforting, perfect for fall, and completely Whole30 compliant, definitely a win!
- 1/2 cup canned coconut milk
- 1 lemon, juiced
- 1 clove garlic, minced
- 1 1/2 teaspoons salt
- 1 1/2 teaspoons pepper
- 1 teaspoon powdered ginger
- 1 teaspoon cumin
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- 1/2 teaspoon cayenne
- 1/2 teaspoon cloves
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
- 1/4 teaspoon ground cardamom
- 2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts
- 2 cups fresh mint leaves, loosely packed
- 1/2 jalapeno
- 1/4 cup fresh parsley leaves
- 1/4 small white onion
- 1 lime, zested and juiced
- 1 teaspoon fresh ginger, grated
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1 head fresh cauliflower
- 1/2 cup canned pineapple chunks (sugar-free, packed in juice), cut in half
- 1/4 cup sliced almonds
- 2 tablespoons coconut oil, melted
- 1 teaspoon curry powder
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1-2 tablespoons butter or ghee, melted
- Combine all ingredients (other than the chicken) in a large bowl. Add in the chicken breasts and stir to coat. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate at least 2 hours to overnight.
- When ready to cook, preheat oven to 425 degrees. Cover baking sheet with aluminum foil and place chicken on it. Bake for about 25-30 minutes until cooked through and starting to brown.
- Combine all ingredients in a small food processor or blender (this can be made ahead of time and stored for up to 3 days).
- Break down the cauliflower, removing the stems, and place in the bowl of a food processor. Pulse until it look like rice (about 10-15 pulses).
- In a large bowl, combine the cauliflower, pineapple, and almonds.
- In a small bowl, combine the coconut oil, curry powder, and salt. Pour over the cauliflower mixture and toss to combine.
- Cover a baking sheet with foil and spred the 'rice' evenly on it. Roast at 425 degrees (with the chicken) for 15 minutes. Mix. Roast for another 10 minutes.
- Pour melted butter or ghee over top and toss to combine.
- To Serve: Slice the chicken and top with mint chutney and cauliflower rice on the side.
