Coconut Curry Chicken with Quinoa

I've been wanting to experiment with coconut milk and quinoa for a while, but just hadn't gotten around to it.  Honestly, I love both foods so much that I was afraid of creating a flop and ruining my taste for them, but this mild flavored Coconut Curry Quinoa with Chicken was a hit with the family!

Coconut Chicken Curry with Quinoa

Here's some pictures of my daughter who literally picked up her bowl and licked it clean--twice!  I was surprised because sometimes my more "exotic" type of meals don't go over spectacularly well with the kiddos, but I couldn't get her to stop eating this.  I think it was mild enough for their tastes---at other times I tend to go a little overboard on the spices because I like things hot!

We have been in a bit of a budget crunch lately with the rising gas and food prices, so I opted to use a bag of frozen stir-fry vegetables for my recipe.  I would normally prefer to chop my own choice of fresh vegetables, but this more economic version tasted good and even had pieces of baby corn which my three-year-old finds fascinating and delectable!  Our package of stir fry vegetables had broccoli, carrots, water chestnuts, red bell pepper, Italian green beans and of course, the baby corn.

Here's the recipe for Coconut Curry Chicken with Quinoa:

Ingredients

For the Quinoa:

1 cup Quinoa

2 cups Vegetable Broth

For the Curry

1 tbsp Coconut Oil

2 cloves Garlic Clove

1 tbsp Cumin Seed

1 cup Onions

8 oz Chicken Breast

1 lb Deluxe Stir Fry Vegetables

2 tsp Mild Curry Powder

1/4 tsp Cayenne Pepper

1/4 tsp Pepper, Black

1/4 tsp Kosher Salt

1 tbsp Red Curry Paste (mild)

2 tsp Brown Sugar

15 oz Coconut Milk

Directions:

• Cook quinoa according to package directions substituting vegetable broth for water.
• Heat coconut oil in large skillet. add finely chopped onions, minced garlic, and cumin seed. cook 2-3 minutes. Add chicken and cook for 2 minutes. Add vegetables, curry paste, salt, cayenne pepper, black pepper, and curry powder. Stir until spices and curry paste are fully mixed into vegetables. 
• Mix brown sugar with coconut milk and add to pan. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and cover letting simmer for about 20 minutes or until chicken is cooked through and vegetables are tender.

At only 385 calories per serving, this coconut chicken curry with quinoa easily fits into a 1600 calorie healthy meal plan.  

Here are Kitchy Mama's suggestions for the rest of your day:

Breakfast:463 Calories

2 Whole Wheat Carrot Muffins

String Cheese

Snack- 185 Calories

Apple slices with natural peanut butter

Lunch- 314 Calories

6 slices Homemade Bruchetta with 

slices of Grilled Chicken

Snack- 170 Calories

Tall non-fat Chai Latte....can't wait for this treat!

Dinner- 483 Calories

Coconut Chicken Curry with Quinoa

Grapefruit and Bananas drizzled with honey (This is SO good!  To make it, simply scoop out the flesh of a grapefruit and mix it with slices of bananas and drizzle with a bit of honey for sweetness.)

Total Calories = 1615

So, our grocery budget is definitely feeling strained these days...I'm curious, what are you doing to save money at the grocery store?  How do you prioritize healthy food with cheaper food?  Love to hear your comments.