This recipe is a hearty one for winter and a delicious way to combine chicken and veg. It uses both green and red peppers which are higher in vitamin C than oranges and are perfect choices for keeping colds and flu at bay! It also contains butter and full fat milk which are essential for your little one’s growing needs – for more on the benefits of opting for full fat dairy have a read here The Skinny on Dairy.
Slightly older babies and toddlers can enjoy this as is, while slightly younger babies may need to have this pureed to a finer consistency. (I used a hand blender to make the mixture slightly smoother for my son the first time he tried it).
Although this recipe obtains quite a few steps, it is one that the entire family could enjoy (although a slightly older palate may need some salt added in, which we need to do our best avoid with younger babies.)
*What you’ll need:
- 1 packet chicken breasts (4-5 breasts)
- 1 onion finely chopped
- 1 red pepper finely chopped
- 1 green pepper finely chopped
- 1 handful parsley finely chopped
- 1 tsp garlic
- 1 Tbs thyme
- 2 Tbs olive oil
- 1/4 cup boiling water
- 200g unsalted butter
- 2 Tbs flour
- 1 cup full fat milk
Method:
- On a high setting, heat up half the olive oil in a pan.
- Add the chicken breasts and thyme and brown the chicken breasts for about 2 minutes per side.
- Add the water, turn the heat down to a medium heat, put a lid on the pan and allow the breasts to simmer for 6 minutes.
- Once the breasts are cooked through, leave them in the liquid in the pan and set aside.
- In another pan, heat up the remaining olive oil on a high heat.
- Add the garlic and onion and fry until the onion is glassy.
- Add the peppers and mushrooms and stir fry for 5-7 minutes.
- Once cooked turn the heat off.
- Remove the chicken breasts from the other pan and reserve some of liquid.
- Slice/shred the breasts very finely or even break them up using your hands.
- Add them to the peppers and mushroom mixture and set aside.
- Melt the butter on a low heat.
- Slowly add the flour and alternate with the milk, adding little bits of each at a time, stirring with a spoon at you go to form a roux.
- Turn the heat up and add some of the liquid you reserved from the chicken (use around 1/4 cup).
- Once the mixture starts bubbling, turn it down to a medium heat, stir and allow to reduce slightly (your want a mixture that coats the back of the spoon). Then turn off the heat.
- Combine your sauce with your chicken and veg mixture.
- Lastly add some chopped parsley and serve with brown rice/ Basmati rice or even cous cous.
If you are using fresh chicken breasts you can freeze individual portions and thaw them as you need them. This recipes makes about 10 portions.
Remember that any food you store in your fridge should be kept in an airtight container to avoid any kind of contamination that could make your baby or toddler ill.
*This recipe may need to be adapted if your child has an allergy to any of the above mentioned ingredients.
Hungry Little Monkey 