This recipe doesn’t need much in the way of an introduction. I made this on one of my ‘cook for the family’ days – I had planned to make my Chicken & Chickpea Korma (see that post for the recipe!), and at the last minute I decided we needed some butternut squash in our lives. You know me, I love messing around with new recipes! My family were a little apprehensive (I’m still an odd-ball at home for putting courgette in my oats…you can’t really blame them…), but happily once we tucked in, they loved it! This dish is a real mid-week comfort – full of protein, fibre and complex carbohydrates, all cooked in a gorgeous coconut milk and tomato-based sauce. As with many of my recipes, it’s suitable for a make-ahead dinner, or if for cooking for a crowd! I recommend serving with a side of brown rice – you could also add spinach towards the end of cooking the curry if you wanted an extra dose of greens in there!

Recipe (Serves 6)

Ingredients

• 1 tbsp coconut oil
• 1 garlic clove, finely minced
• 1/2 tsp sweet paprika
• 1/2 tsp cayenne pepper
• 1 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1 tsp ground ginger
• 2 tsp ground turmeric
• 1 white onion, finely chopped
• 1 small tin of chickpeas
• 2 tbsp tomato puree
• 1 400ml tin of chopped tomatoes
• 1 400ml tin of coconut milk (full fat or reduced fat, whichever you prefer!)
• 1/3 butternut squash, skin removed & chopped into 1-2 inch pieces
• 6 chicken breast fillets, chopped into 1-2 inch pieces
• A sprinkle of sea salt and black pepper, to season

Method

1. Prepare your onions, squash and chicken first by chopping and setting each aside in a small bowl.
2. Heat the coconut oil in a large pot on a medium heat, then add the onions and garlic, and cook for 3-4 minutes until the onions are translucent.
3. Add your spices to the onions, and cook for another couple of minutes until the onions are coated.
4. Next, add the chopped chicken, and cook until the chicken pieces are slightly browned. Make sure you keep an eye on the pot and keep stirring regularly, so the chicken doesn’t stick to the sides.
5. Once the chicken is cooked, add the tinned chickpeas and butternut squash chunks to the pot, and stir everything together.
6. Time to add the liquids! Chuck in your tinned tomatoes, tomato puree and coconut milk. Mix it all up in the pot, and add a little slug of water too. You want the liquid level to just about rise above the chicken and squash pieces.
7. Season with a sprinkle of sea salt and black pepper, stir again, and bring to the boil.
8. Once the curry is bubbling, turn down the heat to a simmer, cover and leave to cook for 20 minutes. Make sure to stir every once in a while during that time.
9. While the curry is cooking, get your dinner accompaniment ready – its all about multi-tasking people! I recommend serving this with a side of brown rice and greens, but you could have it with a side salad either if you’re going for a lighter meal or lunch!
10. After 20 minutes, do a quick taste test, and if you’re happy, turn the heat off and get dishing up!

Enjoy guys! This curry is such a nutrient-packed bowl of comfort, and I hope you love it as much as I do! Tag me if you try it out – @theirishbalance on Instagram!

Ciara 🙂 x