CHICKEN CURRY WITH CALIFORNIA PRUNES AND BROWN RICE

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Chicken Curry with California Prunes and Brown Rice

FOR THE CURRY:

1 1/2 pounds trimmed boneless skinless chicken thighs
1 1/2 teaspoons curry powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
Freshly ground black pepper
1 teaspoon extra-virgin olive oil*
1 small yellow or white onion, halved from end to end, thinly sliced (about 1 cup)
2 garlic cloves, gently smashed with side of knife, peeled
1 cup canned coconut milk
Finely grated zest of 1 medium lemon
1/2 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce (use GF if preferred)
1/2 cup CA prunes, halved/ 2 teaspoons lemon juice

FOR THE BROCCOLI:

2 heads broccoli (about 1 1/4 pounds)
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1/4 teaspoon salt
Freshly ground black pepper
2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice

INSTRUCTIONS:

Preheat oven to 425 degrees F convection. Line a large sheet pan with parchment paper or silicon baking mat for easier clean up;
To make the curry:
1. Combine the curry, salt and pepper in a tiny bowl and sprinkle the seasoning on both sides of the chicken;
2. Preheat a large skillet on medium heat and add the oil. When the oil is shimmering, add the chicken, smooth sides down, and cook until opaque halfway up the sides and golden underneath, about 5 minutes;
3. Turn the chicken and cook through about 2 minutes;
4. Transfer to a plate. Note that the chicken will not yet be fully cooked at this stage.
Add the onions and garlic cloves. Reduce heat to low and sauté until tender, about 5 minutes, adding a tablespoon of water to the pan after a couple of minutes to loosen the brown bits from the bottom of the pan, scraping with a wooden spoon;
Add the chicken and juices back to the pan and the coconut milk, lemon zest, and Worcestershire.
Simmer to finish cooking the chicken and thicken the sauce, about 7 minutes. Stir in the prunes and lemon juice;
To make the broccoli:
1. Cut off 1-2 inches of the bottom of the broccoli stalks, leaving a few inches attached to the florets;
2. Cut the broccoli lengthwise into skinny stalks, with about 1-2 florets per piece.
3. Spread on a sheet pan with the florets towards the middle of the pan and the stalks pointing to the edges of the pan
4. Drizzle with oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper.
5. Roast in the oven until the edges become crisp, about 15 minutes. Spritz with lemon juice.

*If you are using a well-seasoned cast iron pan or non-stick pan, 1 teaspoon oil will suffice. A stainless steel pan may require 2 teaspoons.

What makes California Prunes different? Everything. It’s the legendary Petit d’Agen plum that was brought to California from France during the Gold Rush and grafted onto wild American plum stock. It’s the long growing seasons in California’s lush valleys with rich soil warmed by a steady sun and cool evening temperatures. It’s the hundreds of growers who hand-tend each tree to cultivate the perfect fruit. It’s the most rigorous agricultural standards of any place on earth. It’s the practice of drying prunes in climate-controlled tunnels, which California growers have honed into a precise art, balancing temperature, humidity and time. It is all these things combined that make a prune a California Prune. Over the past decade, researchers have made considerable progress in discovering and understanding the positive effects the consumption of California Prunes can have on our health, including bone health and gut health. The power of California Prunes includes important vitamins, minerals, and fiber. Together, these nutrients form a web of vital functions that support overall health and the immune system.

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