By Chef Faisal – Prep Time: 1 hour – Cook Time: 20 mins – Serves 1

Coconut Pumpkin Risotto with Grilled Chicken, Roasted Chickpeas & Chilli Oil

Ingredients

Roasted Pumpkin Purée

  • 300g pumpkin, cubed
  • ¼ tsp salt
  • ¼ tsp black pepper
  • 10ml olive oil
  • 1 tsp Parmesan
  • 2 tsp chopped garlic
  • A small pinch of fresh thyme

Coconut Pumpkin Sauce

  • 150g roasted pumpkin purée
  • 150ml cooking cream
  • 5ml olive oil
  • ¼ tsp sea salt
  • ¼ tsp turmeric
  • 100ml coconut milk

Risotto Rice

  • 150g Arborio rice
  • 750ml water
  • 15g butter
  • A small pinch of fresh thyme

Grilled Chicken

  • 500g chicken breast, cubed
  • 1 tsp salt
  • ½ tsp black pepper
  • ½ tsp smoked paprika
  • ½ tsp Cajun seasoning
  • 15ml olive oil
  • 5ml lemon juice
  • 1 tsp garlic powder
  • A pinch of thyme powder

Roasted Chickpeas

  • 50g boiled chickpeas
  • ¼ tsp salt
  • ¼ tsp black pepper
  • ¼ tsp smoked paprika
  • 1 tsp sugar
  • ½ tsp Cajun seasoning

Chilli Oil

  • 100ml olive oil
  • 2 tsp chilli flakes
  • A small pinch of fresh thyme
  • 1 tsp smoked paprika

To Serve

  • 400g cooked coconut pumpkin risotto
  • 100g grilled chicken cubes
  • 40g roasted chickpeas
  • 1 tsp Parmesan
  • 1 fried basil leaf
  • ½ tsp chilli oil

Method

Roasted Pumpkin Purée

Toss all the ingredients together until well coated. Spread on a baking tray and roast in a preheated oven at 220°C for 20 minutes. Remove from the oven and blend until smooth.

Coconut Pumpkin Sauce

Combine all the ingredients in a saucepan and cook over a low heat for 5 minutes, stirring until smooth and well combined.

Roasted Chickpeas

Toss all the ingredients together. Spread on a baking tray and roast in a preheated oven at 220°C for 10 minutes until crisp.

Risotto Rice

Melt the butter with the thyme in a saucepan and add the rice, stirring for 2 minutes. Gradually add the water, ladle by ladle, stirring continuously until the rice is creamy and tender.

Chilli Oil

Gently heat the olive oil with the chilli flakes and thyme over a low heat for 10 minutes. Remove from the heat and leave to infuse for 10 minutes, then stir in the smoked paprika.

Grilled Chicken

Combine all the ingredients and toss with the chicken. Leave to marinate for at least 30 minutes, then grill for 5 minutes on each side until cooked through.

For Plating

Spoon the warm risotto into a shallow bowl. Arrange the grilled chicken on top and scatter over the roasted chickpeas. Finish with a drizzle of chilli oil, a grating of Parmesan and a crisp fried basil leaf.