Tomato Chicken Rice Curry

I was inspired by Bill Grainger to create this recipe when I found it in a different form in Simply Bill, one of the many Bill Grainger cookbooks that I own (actually one of the many cookbooks I own full stop). I added tomatoes,ginger and lemon myrtle to the original recipe and find that it is delicious. Lemon myrtle is my new favourite cooking ingredient. If you have not tried it, I highly recommend that you do. I would tend to add a bit more lemon myrtle to the curry than indicated below, but that is purely because I just adore the taste.

Ingredients (serves 4)

2 tablespoons curry powder
4 chicken breasts (or 8 thigh pieces), each cut into 3 pieces (if using thigh pieces, just cut in half)
1 tablespoons olive oil
2 onions
3 cloves garlic crushed
3cm piece ginger grated
2 x 400g tinned tomatoes
1½ cups basmati rice
3 cups chicken stock
2 teaspoons lemon myrtle
Mixed steamed vegetables to serve

Method

Preheat oven to 200 degrees. Place curry power a bowl and toss chicken pieces to coat well.

Heat olive oil in a casserole dish (with a tight fitting lid) over medium heat. (if you do not have a casserole dish that can be used on the stove, just use a fry pan and transfer to a casserole dish to cook in the oven). Cook chicken in batches until browned. Remove and set aside.

Cook onion, garlic and ginger until soft (if the pan is a little dry, you may need to add a little extra oil). Add rice and cook until well coated and transparent (about 2 minutes). Return chicken to the dish. Add tomatoes and stock and stir to combine.

Cook in the oven for 20 minutes. Add lemon myrtle and return dish to the oven and cook for another 25 minutes or until chicken is cooked through and the rice has absorbed all the liquid.

Serve with steamed greens.

I love taking the leftovers to work the next day. This is one that also freezes well after cooking.