Cooking Time
45 Mins
Category
dinner
Spinach Stew with Grilled Chicken and Brown Rice
Why it helps
This spinach-based stew is rich in iron, vitamin A, and antioxidants, and pairing it with lean grilled chicken adds high-quality protein. Serving it over brown rice instead of white rice adds fibre and supports a lower glycaemic meal overall. This dinner fits well into a balanced pattern that emphasizes leafy greens and lean protein together.
Ingredients
500g boneless, skinless chicken thighs
1 teaspoon paprika
Salt, to taste
Black pepper, to taste
1 tablespoon olive oil, for grilling
4 cups fresh spinach, roughly chopped (or frozen, thawed and drained)
3 red bell peppers
2 scotch bonnet peppers (optional, to taste)
1 onion, chopped, divided
2 tomatoes, chopped
3 tablespoons red palm oil or vegetable oil
1 teaspoon ground crayfish (optional)
1 seasoning cube or 1 teaspoon low-sodium bouillon powder
3/4 cup dry brown rice
1 1/2 cups water
Methods
Cook the brown rice in the water according to package instructions, about 25 to 30 minutes, until tender.
Season the chicken thighs with paprika, salt, and pepper. Grill or pan-sear in olive oil for 6 to 7 minutes per side, until cooked through. Set aside.
Blend the bell peppers, scotch bonnet if using, half the onion, and the tomatoes into a coarse puree.
Heat the palm oil in a pot over medium heat. Add the remaining chopped onion and cook for 3 minutes.
Add the blended pepper mixture and cook for 12 to 15 minutes, stirring occasionally, until thickened and the raw pepper smell fades.
Stir in the ground crayfish and seasoning cube.
Add the spinach and cook for 3 to 4 minutes until just wilted.
Slice the grilled chicken and stir into the stew, or serve on top.
Serve the stew and chicken over the brown rice.