Lime and Lemongrass Chicken

[Lanne]

Another one which involves little more than some packet opening and grating..

Lime and Lemongrass Chicken by Donna Hay

http://www.lifestylefood.com.au/reci...RecipeID=15154


Serves 2

6 large slices ginger
6 kaffir lime leaves
4 stalks lemongrass, white part only, trimmed
1 long red chilli, trimmed
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
4 x 125g chicken thigh fillets, halved
1½ cups (375ml) coconut milk
1 tablespoon fish sauce
80g baby spinach leaves
coriander (cilantro) leaves, to serve

Place the ginger, lime leaves, lemongrass and chilli in the bowl of a small food processor and process until finely chopped.
Heat a frying pan over medium-high heat.
Add the oil and the lime leaf mixture and cook, stirring, for 4 minutes or until fragrant.
Add the chicken and cook for 1 minute each side.
Add the coconut milk and fish sauce and simmer the chicken for 7 minutes each side or until chicken is tender.
Stir through the spinach and serve with steamed rice and coriander leaves.


My cheats... (not required but hey if it makes life easier!)

I skipped the chilli and everyone happily ate it.

Getting the blender out can be a deal breaker for me. I HATE washing up foodprocessors and blenders..
Feel free to cheat and use these http://www.gourmetgarden.com/au/ ... I recently discovered Mum keeps hers in the freezer and thought she was suffering from old age.. LOL but it actually does keep them better (and they are still fairly squeezable!)
I got through a fair bit of garlic tho so keep it in the fridge.. Ginger and lemongrass are both available in the tubes.

I used the tube of lemon grass but did the lime leaves and ginger on a microplane (http://www.microplane.com).. simple and easy washing up and perfect consistency. I also cheated and used 90sec rice... http://www.sunrice.com.au/index.php?nodeId=413

The lime leaves are in the herb section of the supermarket. I hadnt bought them before but they were $2 and we have plenty of leaves left to do the recipe again.

This recipe served 3 of us .. No problems at all with generous portions. If you added steamed greens etc it would feed a family with two small children without a problem.

[Julie-Ann]

Thanks for that Lanne. I love asian recipes like this - especially when it's from a packet

[rosierose]

I never really cook chicken but this is the second chicken recipe I have bookmarked to try......the first was your ***in salt rubbed chicken recipe so when and I get into a cooking mood again I'll give one of these recipes a go..
I am just a bit over cooking atm.......

[Julie-Ann]

We rarely cook anything but chicken Rosie. What meat do you usually cook?

[rosierose]

We actually don't cook much meat J-A..... If we eat chicken I usually buy a roast chook from chicken shop.....I do cook beef and lamb

I was a vegetarian for many years until I had Mr3.....and hubby never ate chicken until this year so the chicken thing is new to me....

My tried and true meals are:

- indian pilaf rice with chick peas and lentils
- ricotta ravioli (made with won ton wrappers and ricotta)
- roasted morrocan vegies with cous cous and feta
- spaghetti with meatballs or ragu sauce
- beef casserole
-slow cooked lamb and potatoes
- lamb cutlets and salad
- minestrone soup

[Julie-Ann]

I love vegetarian food. I could happily go vegetarian too but my body is rather odd and is healthier when I eat meat. When I was pregnant the doctor told me that lamb was the easiest meat to digest. I also buy cooked chooks but I do cook more chicken than any other meat. I don't cook pork. I worry I am going to under or over cook it. Your meals sound yummmy Rosie

[Lanne]

Could this be cooked in advance and reheated?

I am debating adding it to the menu for Mum's party (instead of the risoni chicken) but wondering.. could I reheat it? I wouldnt want to cook it during the party but would like to cook it.. say in the morning. and then just reheat for the evening before serving..

Can you reheat coconut milk dishes?

[rosierose]

can't think why not.... You could always make it one day and heat it up the next day for your dinner as a test run.....

[Lanne]

GOOD PLAN!...i will make it tommorrow and heat it thursday. *didnt think of the obvious

[Lanne]

Ok. its official. Don't precook and reheat...