Thai Basil Coconut Chicken (Over Roasted Cauliflower)

Today I wanted to share one of my ALL TIME FAVORITE meals! 

​Now, I will admit that I don’t really “ENJOY” cooking.  It’s more of a necessity and the only way to have control over the quality of your food.  

So, if I’m going to spend time cooking…it needs to be relatively easy to make.  This recipe not only fits that criteria, but also has great flavor and makes a very satisfying meal!

My husband and I make a double batch of this at least every other week, which gives us plenty of delicious leftovers for quick easy meals or lunches to take to work. 

In fact, this photo is from my lunch today!
 
Give it a try and let me know what you think!

Ingredients
1 head of cauliflower, medium to large
2 Tablespoons honey Dijon mustard
2 Tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 Tablespoon garlic, minced

1 lb. chicken, boneless and skinless
¼ - ½ teaspoon cayenne (We like spicy, so I use ½ tsp!)
1 ½ Tablespoons garlic, minced
½ teaspoon ground ginger
1 ½ teaspoons turmeric
1 can coconut milk, full fat
2 Tablespoons raw honey
1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar
½ cup Thai basil leaves, chopped
 
Instructions

1. Pre-heat oven to 375 degrees.  Line baking sheet/dish with a layer of tinfoil (this makes the cleanup super easy).  Cut the head of cauliflower into quarters and place on baking sheet.
2. Combine honey Dijon mustard, extra-virgin olive oil and 1 Tbsp garlic in a small bowl.  Use a brush to coat each piece of cauliflower.
3. Bake for 30-40 minutes, or until a knife can easily pierce the cauliflower.   
4. While the cauliflower is baking…cut chicken into 1” pieces and place in a large skillet.  You can add coconut oil to your skillet if necessary, but I find I don’t need it for my skillet.  Cook chicken over medium heat until done!
5. Add cayenne, 1 ½ Tbsp garlic, ground ginger and turmeric.  Stir to coat chicken. 
6. Add coconut milk, honey and apple cider vinegar.  Simmer for 5 minutes.  Add Thai basil leaves. 
7. Chop roasted cauliflower into bite size (or smaller) pieces.   
8. Serve Thai Basil Coconut Chicken in a bowl over the roasted cauliflower.  

CLICK HERE TO PRINT RECIPE

This recipe was adapted from FoodRenegade.com.  You can find the original recipe here.  Their recommendation is to serve this over rice, but I work hard to avoid all grains and find the roasted cauliflower to be more flavorful than plain rice.

When I mention I’m trying to avoid grains I often get asked…WHY? 

My short answer(s)…

• Grains are essentially converted to sugar once consumed…so if you’re trying to “cut sugar” from your diet don’t forget that grains count as “sugar”! 
• Grains contain anti-nutrients that are very inflammatory and create a lot of gut discomfort (and a whole host of other health problems) for a lot of people…including me! 
• Grains are NOT nutritionally necessary.  I can get all the nutrients I need from other foods…without the negative side effects!

There is a long answer, but that may have to be a future BLOG post 😊. 

Give this recipe a try! 

​Share it with a friend and comment below to let me know what you think!