People, feast your eyes on one of the most amazing, probably strangest but yummiest dishes I’ve ever had.
I know, I know, it really doesn’t look like much.
I really failed to capture the true essence and mouthwatering presence of this royal dish. Real sorry about that.
I think that I was too impressed by the jaw dropping, awe inspiring beauty of the original… there was no way I could ever replicate that!
So if you want to get truly inspired, I urge you to head on over to Mellissa’s site and check out her version. Now THAT will have your mouth water, for sure.
I know it did mine, anyway!
For WEEKS after I initially laid eyes on that picture, I drooled daily all over my brains just thinking about it and dreamed of the day when I would finally be making my very own.
The thing is, you see, I had to get my hands on some plantain first, and for some reason, I didn’t t seem to be having any luck with that.
But when I finally did, I immediately got busy and recreated this fabulous dish.
It was… it was… OH! I don’t even know how to put it.
It was just so good, I had it for dinner that night and again for breakfast the next morning.
Yes, for breakfast.
And tell you what, it made for a really amazing breakfast!
Now if there is one thing I could say I didn’t really like about this dish, it’s the fact that the size of the portion is rather small considering the high calorie price tag…
BUT!
It also happens to be surprisingly filling and satisfying. So much so that I didn’t feel the need to munch after dinner the night I had it, nor did I have my usual morning snack after I had it for breakfast.
So despite being on the small size, this is an offering that will keep your tummy full and satisfied for a very long time.
Now… that being said. You MIGHT think that this is a really funky flavor combination, and you might very well be right.
But the thing is that it works. Like a charm! Like MAGIC! Like complete harmony.
I’m telling you, if I didn’t know better, I would eat nothing but that for the next few weeks. Or maybe even months!
The meat mixture is just super creamy and kinda sweet and spicy at the same time. The avocado really adds to that creaminess while the plantain emphasizes the sweetness. This is like a party in your mouth, complete with xylophone, bongos and maracas. I don’t really know how else to put words on this one, really. I think this is one dish that you need to experience for your
Oh, and of course, feel free to play around with the ingredients, too! You don’t like plantain? Go for mango instead. I bet it would be awesome in this. Avocado is not your thing? No worries! Just leave it out, or replace it with roasted mushrooms, perhaps. Or even cooked butternut squash, or sweet potato maybe?
Add a little bit of shredded coconut for an even more intense coconut experience… Oh, and I’m sure that the pineapple mentioned in the original recipe would be super delicious too.
Of course, as Mellissa suggested, you could also use beef instead of chicken.
The possibilities are just endless!
One thing you can be sure of, I will be testing quite a few of them over the course of the next few months.
Hopefully, I’ll eventually manage to make it look as good as it actually is!
INGREDIENTS
- 400g chicken breast, ground
- ½ cup canned coconut cream
- 1 cup pure coconut water
- The juice of 1 lime
- ¼ tsp Himalayan or fine sea salt
- ½ tsp freshly cracked black pepper
- 1 birds eye pepper, finely chopped
- 1 ripe plantain, cut into large chunks
- 1 tsp Extra Virgin Coconut Oil
- 1 avocado, diced
- ¼ cup fresh cilantro, chopped
- ¼ cup red onion, finely chopped
INSTRUCTIONS
- Add ground chicken meat, coconut cream, coconut water, lime juice, chilli pepper, salt and pepper to a medium saucepan. Bring to a boil then lower heat and simmer for about 20 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the liquid is evaporated and you’re left with a creamy meat mixture. Don’t brown the meat first, simply add it right to the pan with the rest of the ingredients and let it absorb the flavors while cooking.
- While the meat is cooking, heat the coconut oil in a non-stick pan over medium-high heat.
- When pan is hot enough, add the plantain and cook until nice and golden brown on all sides about 1-2 minutes per side.
- Divide the meat mixture between 2 serving bowls, garnish with fried plantain, avocado, fresh cilantro and chopped red onion. Sprinkle a little bit more lime juice if desired and serve immediately.
Notes
Greatly inspired by Mellissa's Tropical Turkey Chili
Ooh you’ve got ME drooling this morning Sonia! And don’t you worry, avocados are TOTALLY my thing these days! I used to think they were so underwhelming but that was until I made this super fabulous and easy guacamole that I just can’t get enough of. I love your photos of this recipe!
YAY! So now we’re even! I am so planning on having some of your fabulous kale rolls sometime this week, and I just can’t wait! And now you just inspired me to add avocados to them, too! And I so completely hear you. Only a few days ago, I was commenting on how I can’t believe that I used to not like avocados as a kid. I really despised them. Now I would eat them by the case, I think of them as food of the gods or something. They sure are a fabulous addition to this curry.
And thanks for the kind words on my photos. I wasn’t convinced that I really liked them myself, so it’s nice to hear that you do!
Hey Sonia! Glad you were finally able to recreate this one and I’m so thrilled that it lived up to your expectations! Thanks for all the links too! Your version sounds great and I love the addition of the shaved coconut especially! Don’t sell yourself short either, the photos look great! I had the same problem though, it was so delicious and so lovely in person, no photo seemed to do it justice in my mind! Seeing these photos makes me want to try your version ASAP though! I’m going to do a Whole 14 soon to clean up my diet again, and this is going to be one of the first things I make!
Oh, Mellissa, I owe you one big time for this dish. It really is heavenly. You really have to try it with the coconut. YUMMY! And thank you for inspiring me to give this Whole30 thing a try too. I am really loving it. So much so, I think I will sort of extend it. Even considering doing a few months paleo, just to see what is says…
This looks fabulous, just the kind of flavours I love! Not sure where I’d find coconut water/liquid though over here in the UK…but it’s worth tracking down if I can make this. Also, I think your photos look great!
Aw, thank you Elly! I’m pretty sure you could find coconut water online if it’s not available locally. I know Amazon carries it in the US… not sure about the UK, though. But seriously, it’s worth getting your hands on, trust me. You’ll want to use it in all sorts of things, and even drink it right out of the can!
yummmmmmmmmmmm
What a bright, fresh and healthful salad! I love all things curry and coconut milk and need more interesting salads in my life!