One-pan chicken with orange, apricot and quinoa

What I love about this is that you can add it all to the pan and have a deliciously impressive meal with minimal washing up. Leave it to cook while you get on with other bits at home or if you just want to relax, before tucking into a sweet infusion of orange and apricot chicken and quinoa.

Serves 2

Ingredients

• 1 tbsp Lucy Bee coconut oil
• 150g/5 1/4 oz red onions, diced
• 40g/1/3 cups fresh ginger, peeled and grated
• 4 boneless, skinless chicken thighs
• 40g/1/3 cup almonds
• 60g/2 oz soft dried apricots, quartered
• 30g/1 oz raisins
• ½ tsp cinnamon powder
• 600ml/2 1/2 cups vegetable stock (see book page 176 for homemade)
• 200g/generous 1 cup quinoa
• Finely grated zest and juice of ½ orange (cut the remaining half into wedges to serve)
• Big handful of parsley, roughly chopped
• Himalayan salt and ground black pepper

Method

1. Over a medium heat, melt the coconut oil in a large, deep frying pan that has a lid. Add the onions and ginger and sauté until soft.

2. Add the chicken thighs and cook for 4 minutes, then turn them over and cook for a further 4 minutes, stirring to stop the ingredients from sticking and burning. Remove the chicken to a plate.

3. Add the almonds, apricots, raisins and cinnamon to the pan. Stir well then add the stock and quinoa, making sure all the ingredients are mixed together. Add the chicken back to the pan and continue cooking until the liquid is gently bubbling, then reduce the heat, cover and simmer gently for 20–30 minutes, until all the liquid has been absorbed, stirring occasionally.

4. Remove from the heat and stir in the orange zest and juice, parsley and salt and pepper to taste. Leave to stand for 5 minutes before serving with wedges of orange.

From Coconut Oil: Recipes for Real Life. Recipe text © 2016 Lucy Bee Limited.