Mushroom & Coconut Chicken

Food for thought: mushrooms are have been hailed as a superfood due to the impressive punch of nutrients found in each serving. By including mushrooms in your child’s diet, you are adding in a significant amount of B vitamins, fibre and, most importantly, selenium. Selenium is one of the most powerful antioxidants that is required by the body to fight off harmful free radicals. In addition, selenium has been linked to controlling blood glucose levels, and preventing brain nerve tissue deterioration and cancers. 

On a mission to come up with a tasty meal using the humble (and nutrient-dense) mushroom, this recipe is simple, ideal for cold, wintery days and can be dished up to the entire family (unless there are a few fussy eaters amidst the pack!).

The mushrooms work brilliantly with the flavour of the coconut milk, and the saucy consistency makes it ideal to serve over whole-wheat noodles, basmati rice, brown rice or even over mash. If you would prefer to keep this recipe dairy-free, then hold off on the cheese and use nutritional yeast flakes instead. Alternately, using cow’s milk and parmesan will be equally delicious. If your child has a soy allergy, then opt for tamari in place of the low-sodium soya sauce.

This recipe also freezes really well! I would however recommend freezing the chicken and mushroom mixture and then, once thawed, serving it with the fresh starch of your choice.

What you’ll need:

• 1-2 packets chicken breasts (6-8 chicken breasts), cut into strips
• 2 punnets mushrooms, finely chopped (any mushrooms will work)
• 1 onion, finely diced
• 1/2 tsp minced garlic
• 1 can coconut milk
• 2 heaped Tbs almond flour (or any wholewheat flour)
• 2 heaped Tbs nutritional yeast flakes / grated parmesan
• 2 Tbs olive oil for frying
• 3 cracks black pepper
• 1 Tbs low sodium soya sauce/tamari
• 1/4 cup chicken/vegetable stock (low sodium is preferable)
• Noodles/rice of your choice (wholewheat, brown or basmati is preferable)

Method:

• Heat 1 Tbs olive oil in a pan on medium-high heat.
• Brown the chicken strips for about 1-2 minutes on each side, then remove the chicken from the pan set the chicken aside.
• Add the remaining 1 Tbs olive oil to the pan, followed by the garlic.
• After a minute of frying the garlic, add in the chopped mushrooms, black pepper and soya sauce/tamari.
• Cook out all the liquid from the mushrooms, until the mushrooms begin browning (around ten minutes).
• Add back the chicken, followed by the stock, and the coconut milk.
• Bring the mixture to a boil and then turn down the heat and allow the mixture to simmer on a medium heat setting for 5 minutes.
• Add the flour and the nutritional yeast/parmesan and cook for a further 5-10 minutes until the mixture thickens.
• Once the mixture is thick enough to coat the back of a spoon, turn off the heat and set aside (the mixture will still thicken when off the heat).
• Cook the noodles/rice according to the package instructions.
• Serve the noodles/rice with the chicken mixture, with an extra sprinkling of parmesan/nutritional yeast flakes on top.
• Makes 6-8 portions, depending on the age(s) of your child(ren).

*The above will need to be adapted should your child have an allergy to any of the ingredients mentioned.

*Never leave your child unsupervised when eating.