It’s late afternoon, I look at the clock and the realisation hits me – I haven’t started dinner yet! Living so far from town, buying takeaway is not an option, so I go ‘shopping’ in my pantry and dig into my trusty old cookbooks for inspiration. I normally have half the ingredients for one recipe and half for another and so I improvise.
Tonight I had some chicken pieces defrosted, some lemon and garlic lying around and some fresh spinach and not much else. Oh, I always have butter in the fridge. And so was born – Garlic Lemon Butter Chicken.
I was not sure how the family would respond but after a few, ‘this is awesome, I’m eating my Grin-itch Spinach (Dr Suess fans), cook this again!’, I knew I was onto a winner.
I served it with lots of mashed potato for the children and a small amount myself 🙂 Next time I will have mashed cauliflower for myself and all those watching their carb intake.
I also snuck in a secret ingredient – Red Palm Fruit Oil. I wasn’t sure how it would effect the taste of the sauce with this dish, but the comments put any concerns to rest. I love using this oil whenever I can. It is a natural source of carotenoids, vitamin E, lycopene, coenzyme Q10, essential fatty acids and lots of other important fat-soluble micronutrients. Red Palm Fruit Oil is also nature’s highest known food source of a powerful antioxidant – Tocotrienol. It contains no cholesterol, no trans fats. It is very heat stable and therefore ideal for use in frying, barbeques, saute’s, curries, and adds a deliciously golden touch to cooking. You are beginning to understand why I try and sneak it in where ever I can.
I hope your family enjoy this dish as much as mine did.
- 1 1/2 kilos chicken thighs (or any chicken pieces)
- 2 tablespoons smoky paprika
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 tsp pepper
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 2 tablespoons red palm fruit oil (or more butter)
- 5 cloves garlic
- 2 onions, diced
- 1.5 cups chicken broth
- 1/2 cup cream
- 1/4 cup grated parmesan
- 1-2 lemons
- 1 tsp dried thyme
- 3 cups baby spinach
- Place paprika, salt and pepper into a bowl. Add chicken and toss to coat well.
- Melt butter and red palm fruit oil in a large fry pan over med-high heat. Add garlic and onion and cook for 3-5 mins.
- Add chicken and cook 3 each side for 3-5 mins until crisp.
- Stir in the broth, cream, cheese, lemon juice and thyme. Bring to the boil and then simmer for 30 mins. You could also cook in a med oven.
- If you like a real lemony flavour, throw in wedges of lemon in place of the juice.
- Add in the baby spinach for the last 5 mins of cooking.
- Serve on a bed of mashed potatoes or cauliflower.
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