Tasty chicken rice

I’ve been making this meal for my children since the oldest was about a year old. It’s incredibly easy to make and is good for getting little ones used to different textures.

When they’re very little, you’ll need to chop up the chicken and vegetables quite small, but as they get older you can leave the ingredients more chunky.

It’s a firm favourite with both my kids and I often cook up a big pot and freeze portions for easy midweek meals. They’re now six and  three and their eyes still light up when I tell them they’re having it for tea.

Feel free to play around with the vegetables you include. I often swap the courgette for peas or sweetcorn. I also used to use mushrooms until the oldest decided one day they were the devil’s food!

Tasty chicken rice

200g basmati rice
2 tbsp sunflower oil
1 onion, chopped
1 green or red pepper, chopped
1 courgette, diced
2 garlic cloves, crushed
1 tbsp chopped parsley
1 skinless chicken breast, chopped
450ml passata
100ml chicken or vegetable stock
salt and pepper

Cook the rice following the instructions on the packet.

Heat the oil in a large pan and gently fry the onion, pepper and courgette for about five minutes. Add the garlic and parsley, fry for another minute or so before adding the chicken.

Cook until the chicken turns white, then add the passata and stock. Simmer gently for 15 minutes.

Drain the rice and combine with the chicken sauce. Taste and add seasoning if needed.

I’m entering this dish into the Family Foodies challenge which Louisa at Eat Your Veg and I take turns to host. It’s Louisa’s turn this month and the theme is The Under Twos. 

family-foodies

Why bangers and mash?

A few people have asked why I called this blog Bangers & Mash. So here’s a sophisticated diagram to help explain.

Quite simply Bangers & Mash sums up the kind of food I like to cook and eat.

Simple and unpretentious.

Terrible if you use cheap sausages or don’t put butter in the mashed potato, but when you use quality ingredients it just can’t be beaten.

And that’s the kind of food you’ll find me talking about in this blog.