Chicken schnitzel and creamy coconut healthy risotto is a nutritional dish perfect for weeknight dinners. This is a one-pot dish, that is right! I cooked this using just one pan. Wouldn’t it be wonderful to have less utensils to wash after cooking? And this recipe is a great fit for my family because from one dish, it can provide the balanced nutrients perfect for my active kids and for us.

Ingredients for Risotto

The ingredients below will make 2 hearty portions, perfect for a family meal

• 1 Cup Australian brown rice (or any short grain brown rice)
• 1/2 Cup chopped carrots
• 1/4 Cup sliced leek
• 1 tsp chopped garlic
• 1/2 tsp pepper powder
• 1/2 Can of coconut cream
• 3 Vegetable stock (salted)
• 1 Cup baby spinach leaves

Ingredients for Schnitzel

• 1 Large chicken breast (split in to two)
• 1/ 4 tsp salt ( or salt to taste)
• 1 Cup bread crumbs
• 1 tsp crushed chilli
• 1 tsp cajun powder
• 1 tsp garlic powder
• 1/2 tsp white wine vinegar
• 1/2 Cup Butter milk

Make the chicken schnitzel before cooking risotto

• Split the chicken breasts in half, then gently tap with the back of a knife to loosen and tenderise the meat.
• Season with crushed chilli, Cajun powder, garlic powder, vinegar, and salt.
• Pour the buttermilk over the chicken breasts and flip to coat evenly.
• Press the chicken into breadcrumbs to form a thick, even coating.
• Heat oil in a pan over medium heat, then place the crumbed chicken in and fry, turning until golden and cooked through.
• Remove the chicken from the pan and let it rest.
• Use the same pan to start cooking the risotto (do not wash the pan).

• Soak the Australian brown rice for 15 minutes.
• Heat a pan over medium heat and add chopped garlic, carrots, and leek. Sauté until slightly softened.
• Drain the rice and add it to the pan with the vegetables and add some pepper power with it
• Pour in the vegetable stock, then cook on low to medium heat until the rice is soft and tender.
• Once the rice develops a creamy texture, stir in the coconut cream and let it simmer for 1 minute.
• Turn off the heat, add the spinach, and mix through until just wilted.
• Serve warm with chicken schnitzel.

Tips

• Make sure to add spinach at last and serve immediately after mixing with spinach, In a heat spinach become too soggy and mushy if kept for long in the heat
• If you are using a stainless steel pan, heat it over medium heat until a few drops of water form beads and glide across the surface — this means the pan is ready for cooking without food sticking. Once you add the schnitzel, wait until one side is fully cooked and golden before flipping.
• Importantly do not cook longer than 2 minutes after adding the coconut cream with rice, Also cook in medium heat and stir regularly avoid the sticking on the pan

Why Australian brown rice

Australian brown rice is one of the healthy choices. Unlike white rice, it retains its bran and germ layers, making it higher in fibre, vitamins, and minerals. Its texture is pleasantly chewy with a nutty flavour that adds depth to both savoury and sweet dishes. When cooked, the grains stay slightly firm, giving meals a wholesome and hearty feel.

I usually soak the rice for about 15 minutes or precook it in the microwave for 10 minutes, as Australian brown rice tends to take a little longer to cook because of its outer bran layer.

Can I use other types of rice for this recipe?

Yes, other types of rice also can be used for Chicken schnitzel and creamy coconut healthy risotto recipes. Short grain rice or medium grain rice are good for this recipe because they produce a perfect starchy texture when cooked. Brown arborio is one the other best substitutes for Australian brown rice. You can use white rice as well but their nutritional values are a bit lower compared to brown rice.

Coconut cream

Coconut cream is a thicken/reduced water content of coconut milk. Coconut milk is a plant based milk made with matured coconut flesh. Coconuts are larger palm trees mostly grown in the south asian region and countries like Sri Lanka, India, Thailand. When coconut cream is combined with rice it creates a beautiful creamier texture. It has the delicious aroma that is perfect for this Chicken schnitzel and creamy coconut healthy risotto. and Coconut cream has numerous nutritional benefits with healthier fat.

Butter milk

Butter milk is a thick creamier dairy product and it is slightly tart and acidic, with a rich flavour. Buttermilk gives the flavours to chicken breast and is also perfect to coat the bread crumbs on the chicken breast when making the schnitzel. I use buttermilk instead of eggs for making schnitzel to avoid the smell and butter milk helps to create a lighter breadcrumbs coating on the chicken breast