One-Pan Oven-Baked Chicken Keema Curry (NALFD Friendly)
This dish is complex, deeply savory, and incredibly comforting. It holds up beautifully in glass meal-prep containers, making it a fantastic option for busy weeknights. Using low-glycemic basmati rice keeps this dish from spiking your blood sugar rapidly after eating, instead allowing for slower release which helps keep you full and energized for hours.
Ingredients
- 1 lb lean ground chicken
- 1 tsbp avocado oil or ghee
- 1 small yellow onion, finely diced
- 1 tbsp ginger (freshly grated)
- 1 tbsp garlic (freshly grated)
- 1 tsp ground turmeric
- 1 tsp ground cumin
- ½ tsp garam masala
- ½ tsp mild chili powder or Kashmiri chili (adjust to taste)
- 1 beefsteak tomato, coarsely grated with a box grater
- salt and pepper to taste
Spiced Rice
- 1½ cups low-glycemic Basmati rice, rinsed under cool water until water runs clear I like Laxmi brand
- 2½ cups hot, simmering low-sodium chicken stock or bone broth
- 1 cup frozen green sweet peas
- 1 small yellow onion, finely diced
- 1 tbsp avocado oil or ghee
- 1 tsp ground turmeric
- 1 cinnamon stick
- 2 cardamom pods, lightly pressed open
- 3 cloves
To Serve
- fresh chopped cilantro
- lemon wedges
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 350°F (177°C). Bring your chicken stock to a simmer in a small saucepan so it is hot and ready.
- In a large, oven-safe skillet or Dutch oven over medium heat, add the oil. Sauté the diced onion until translucent and soft.
- Stir in the ginger-garlic paste and cook for 1 minute until fragrant.
- Stir in the turmeric, cumin, coriander, garam masala, chili powder, salt, and pepper. Cook until the chicken is browned and fully infused with the spices (about 6-8 minutes).
- Fold in the grated tomato until combined. Remove the chicken from the pan and set it aside in a bowl.
- In the same oven-safe pan, heat the avocado oil and add the diced onion. Sauté until the onion is translucent and soft.
- Add in the rinsed and drained Basmati rice. Sauté the dry rice for 1-2 minutes, stirring constantly.
- Add in the turmeric, salt, cinnamon stick, cardamom and cloves. Toss the rice to evenly coat the rice in the spices.
- Pour the hot, simmering stock directly over the sautéed rice. Stir gently to ensure the rice is evenly distributed. Gently scatter the cooked chicken keema evenly across the top of the rice (do not stir it all the way through) letting it sit on top keeps the chicken tender and allows the rice to cook evenly.
- Cover the pan tightly with a lid or a double layer of aluminum foil to trap the steam. Bake in the oven for 30 minutes.
- Carefully remove the pan from the oven. Remove the lid, quickly scatter the frozen green peas across the top, and cover again for 10 minutes. The residual steam will perfectly cook the peas while keeping them bright green. Uncover, fluff the rice and chicken together gently with a fork, and top with fresh cilantro and a bright squeeze of lemon juice. Serve warm.