Every Helping
Sign in

Lunch recipe · from the recipe book

Dry Chicken Thigh Curry with Cauliflower Quinoa

Charred, cumin-and-coriander-crusted chicken thighs tossed with crisp-edged cauliflower, eggplant and spinach, finished with lime and cilantro over fluffy quinoa.

Dry Chicken Thigh Curry with Cauliflower Quinoa

Ingredients

  • 1¼ lb600 gChicken thighs, boneless skinlesscut into 1-inch pieces
  • 1¼ cups200 gQuinoa, dryrinsed
  • 2 cups460 gWater
  • 3¼ cups florets350 gCauliflowercut into small florets
  • ½ medium250 gEggplantcut into 3/4-inch cubes
  • 4 cups loosely packed120 gBaby spinach
  • 1½ medium150 gRed onionthinly sliced
  • 4 cloves12 gGarlicminced
  • 2½ tbsp grated15 gFresh gingergrated
  • 1 whole14 gJalapeñoseeded and minced
  • 2 tbsp30 gCanola oil
  • 2 tsp4 gGround cumin
  • 2¼ tsp4 gGround coriander
  • ¾ tsp2 gGround turmeric
  • 1¼ tsp3 gPaprika (sweet or smoked)
  • 2 tsp4 gCurry powder
  • 1 tsp6 gSalt
  • ½ tsp1 gBlack pepper
  • 2 tbsp30 gLime juice
  • ⅔ cup chopped10 gFresh cilantrochopped

Steps

  1. Prep first: cut the chicken thigh, cauliflower and eggplant, slice the red onion, mince the garlic and jalapeño, grate the ginger and chop the cilantro.
  2. In a small saucepan, bring the quinoa and 400 g of the water to a boil, cover, simmer on low for 15 minutes, then rest off the heat, covered, while you cook the curry.
  3. In a bowl, mix the cumin, coriander, turmeric, paprika, curry powder, black pepper and half the salt to make the spice mix. Toss the chicken thigh with half of the spice mix.
  4. Heat one-third of the canola oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Brown the chicken thigh in one layer, 6 to 8 minutes, turning, until charred in spots and 165°F (74°C) inside. Move it to a plate.
  5. Add another one-third of the canola oil, then the cauliflower and eggplant with the remaining salt. Cook, stirring occasionally, 8 to 10 minutes until browned and tender, adding the remaining 60 g of water partway through to steam them soft. Move to the plate.
  6. Add the last one-third of the canola oil and the red onion; cook 4 minutes until softened. Stir in the garlic, ginger, jalapeño and the remaining half of the spice mix and cook 1 minute until fragrant.
  7. Return the chicken and vegetables to the skillet, add the spinach and toss over the heat about 2 minutes until the spinach wilts and the spices cling dry to everything.
  8. Off the heat, stir in the lime juice. Fluff the quinoa, divide among 4 bowls, top with the curry and scatter the cilantro over.

Allergens: none of the nine major allergens in the ingredients as written.

Cook mode Log it in Today

Made it

Made it? Share how yours turned out.

Saved in the Every Helping recipe book on October 24, 2026.

Want one that fits your numbers?

Pick the meal, the pan and your targets, and the Every Helping recipe generator writes a recipe with every number worked out. Free on the web.

Make a recipeMore from the recipe book