Description
This chicken and fonio platter with herb avocado cream is easy to make, healthy and can be assembled in a variety of ways, including as a salad.
Ingredients
FOR THE FONIO
- 2 cups fonio (1/4 cup per serving)
- 4 cups filtered water
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
FOR THE CHICKEN
- 4 servings of chicken breast (4oz per serving or depending on your macro requirements)
- 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 2 tablespoons lemon juice
- 1 teaspoon fenugreek powder
- 1 teaspoon oregano
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon pepper
- more oil for cooking
FOR THE DRESSING
- 1 avocado
- 2 tablespoons fresh dill, roughly chopped
- 2–4 tablespoons fresh parsley, roughly chopped
- 4 sprigs of fresh mint and (use the young stems too)
- 1 garlic clove or leaves of one spring garlic
- juice of 1/2 lime (or more to taste)
- 4 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 4 tablespoons filtered water
- 1/4 teaspoon salt (or more to taste)
- 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground pepper (or more to taste)
FOR SERVING
- Mixed sprouts, microgreens, or garden cress
Instructions
- TO COOK THE FONIO: bring the water to a boil (the ratio of water to fonio is 2:1), add a pinch of salt to it. When the water is boiling, lower the heat to a minimum and add the fonio. It only needs 3 minutes to cook. Stir with the fork until all the water evaporates, take off the heat. Continue to stir with the fork to fluff it up. Let it rest while you make the chicken, it doesn’t need to be warm when served.
- TO COOK THE CHICKEN: Rince and pat dry the chicken breast, drizzle with olive oil and lemon and sprinkle on all the spices. Rub well. Heat a skillet with some extra virgin olive oil, and add the chicken, cooking on medium heat for about 5 minutes on each side to get a crust, then cover and cook for about 10 minutes more. It will depend on how big the chicken breasts are. If you are not sure when it is ready, cut with a knife in the thickest part and make sure it is no longer pink. Don’t overcook it, though, as it will get dry. Set on the side to rest.
- TO MAKE THE CREAM: While the chicken is cooking, you can make the cream. Add all the ingredients to a blender and mix until creamy. Taste and adjust for salt, pepper, and lime, if necessary.
- TO ASSEMBLE THE DISH: Mix the millet with half of the cream. Taste and add more salt and pepper if necessary. You can serve it as a bed for the chicken, or you can make some dumplings with the help of two big spoons (like in the picture). You can even chop the chicken and mix it with the fonio and microgreens and serve it as a salad.
Notes
To make this meal into a summer salad, cut the chicken into small cubes and mix with the fonio, creamy dressing and microgreens. It can be served warm or cold.