We’d bet that you can relate to those mid-week cravings for a comforting meal after a hard day’s work. Typically, these also tend to be the days when we can’t gather the energy for anything fussy. If you are anything like us, your thoughts begin to oscillate frantically between take-out options and a quick-and-easy meal. This creamy broccoli chicken is one of our go-to recipes for these nights where we are seeking a little indulgence. Fortunately, a healthy amount of broccoli helps to assuage the guilt of the extra carbs from the cream.
This recipe is not one from our childhood. In fact, broccoli was not a vegetable we commonly ate whilst we were growing up. Instead, it is a recipe that is special to us, forming part of the handful of recipes which kick-started of our cooking adventures. Kurvin first had creamy broccoli chicken during an internship at an architecture firm in Gordon’s Bay. During those months, he lived in a flat next to his employer and had the joy of sharing dinner with the architect’s family.
Although the original dish which Kurvin had was not spiced, over our many times of making chicken broccoli, we have slightly altered the recipe. We have added diced tomatoes and a dash of spices. The end result is not particularly spicy; rather, the cumin and coriander add warmth and earthiness to this dish.
The first step in this recipe involves roasting whole spices and lightly crushing them in a mortar and pestle. Alternatively, you could skip this step and use ground spices. Next the chicken goes into some hot oil, followed by tomatoes, garlic, broccoli and cream. It’s that simple! The sauce is not a particularly thick one but it is perfect spooned over some fluffy rice which soaks it all up.
Creamy spiced broccoli chicken
Ingredients
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 3 large chicken breasts, cut into pieces
- 1 small broccoli, cut into florets
- 1 tsp cumin seeds
- 1 tsp coriander seeds
- 2 cloves garlic
- 2 large tomatoes, diced (you can use around 100 ml /⅓ cup canned tomatoes)
- ½ cup cream (120 ml)
- ¼ tsp chilli flakes (optional)
- ½ tsp salt
- ½ tsp freshly ground pepper
Instructions
- In a large pan over medium heat, add the whole cumin and coriander seeds and warm for a couple of minutes until aromatic
- Remove the spices from the pan, and crush coarsely with a mortar and pestle or grinder.
- Heat the olive oil in the pan over medium-high heat.
- Add the diced chicken, crushed spices, salt and pepper and cook for a couple of minutes, stirring a couple of times until the chicken is lightly browned on the surface.
- Stir in the garlic and tomato and allow to cook for a minute.
- Next add the broccoli, chilli flakes (if using) and cream and cook for 10 minutes, or until the chicken is cooked through. Stir regularly.
- Serve over some fluffy rice.