Chicken And Butternut Pilaf

Ingredients

• 2 teaspoons sunflower oil
• 2 cups brown rice, rinsed and drained
• 2 teaspoons mild curry powder
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1 teaspoon ground coriander
• 1/2 teaspoon ground turmeric
• 3 cups boiling water
• 1 courgetti, thinly sliced
• 2 large skinless chicken breasts (400g), trimmed of excess fat and cubed
• 3 cups butternut (peeled, cubed and boiled)
• 2 tablespoons flaked almonds
• 1/2 lemon, juiced
• 2 tablespoons chopped coriander leaves
• freshly ground black pepper

Preparation

1. preheat the oven to 180°c.
2. heat the sunflower oil in an ovenproof casserole or baking dish set over a medium heat.
3. stir in the rice and sauté in the oil for 2 minutes, stirring frequently. sprinkle over the spices and cook for a further 2 minutes until fragrant.
4. cover with the water, stirring well. bring to the boil before arranging the butternut and chicken on top of the rice.
5. cover the dish and transfer to the oven, baking for about 30 minutes until the rice has absorbed the water and the chicken is cooked through.
6. remove from the oven. sprinkle almonds on top and return the dish to the oven for 7-10 minutes until the almonds are golden-brown.
7. top with chopped coriander leaves and black pepper.