DISCLAIMER: This post was developed in sponsored partnership with Catelli, however, as always, all opinions are genuine.
These Healthy Lychee Chicken Curry Noodles are a perfect one pot, high fibre, high protein dinner for easy casual entertaining.
Storytime! Back when I was studying to become a dietitian, I was part of a small group of dietetic interns at a local hospital who literally helped me survive a very difficult year. Once a month, five of us gals would get together to “study” for our end-of-year qualifying exam, promising to each bring at least a few practice scenarios to the table. If I’m being honest, those study sessions were really just an excuse to crack a bottle of wine and eat way too much take-out, but regardless, we all passed.
I was always in charge of ordering (I’ve always been the most decisive lady in the group), and one of our go-to’s was a lychee chicken curry from a local Thai restaurant. Sweet juicy lychees, hearty chicken and a creamy coconut sauce always went down well with the girls and helped get our thinking caps on for a serious “study-sesh”.
Today, we’re long past pretending to study, and yes, our conversations are now more about babies than they are about boys, but we still get together to enjoy a good meal as a group at least once a month. This month, I wanted to pay homage to our old internship tradition by making my own Healthy Lychee Chicken Curry Noodles.
How to Make Healthy Lychee Chicken Curry Noodles
By skipping the take-out, I was able to lighten up the curry sauce, cut the sugar, add tons more veggies (because not surprisingly, they’re in high demand with my dietitian friends), substitute the standard white rice for amazing high fiber pasta. I am obsessed with Catelli’s new Ancient Grains pasta made with 100% Canadian wheat and five ancient grains including quinoa, teff, amaranth, millet, and sorghum. Each serving packs in 75% of your daily whole grains and 32% of your daily fiber needs – so it’s a super satisfying choice in these Healthy Lychee Chicken Curry Noodles.
This is also a really easy recipe to pull off, which is the key to casual entertaining. Not sure what it is, but people tend to gravitate around the kitchen island, so I like to keep the cooking chaos to a minimum. With a recipe like Healthy Lychee Chicken Curry Noodles, I dirty up only two pots and you have your protein, veggies and whole grains in one bowl each. In other words, I don’t have to worry about timing multiple dishes at once, I have fewer dishes to clean, and I get more time to spend gossiping about who’s getting pregnant next and the last tiff with the MIL.
This year, Catelli is celebrating its 150th birthday alongside Canada. To say thank you to families for inspiring them for over a century, Catelli has created an amazing 150th Anniversary Recipe Collection with 12 easy recipes that you can try at your next family reunion! I think anytime is a great time to reunite with family and friends, but with the exciting Canadian milestone, it’s a particularly great excuse!
Now tell me, what dishes do you always eat when you’re with your best group of friends or family?
Have you tried making this Healthy Lychee Chicken Curry Noodles? What did you think?
Leave me a comment below with your thoughts!
Disclaimer: this recipe was developed in paid partnership with Catelli, however, all opinions are genuine.
Healthy Lychee Chicken Curry Noodles
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 tablespoons virgin coconut oil divided
- 1 lb chicken breasts thinly sliced
- 1 red bell pepper thinly sliced
- 1 yellow bell pepper thinly sliced
- 2 carrots peeled, thinly sliced on a bias
- 2 cups snow peas trimmed
- 5 green onions thinly sliced, light green and white parts only
- 2 tbsp ginger grated
- 4 cloves garlic minced
- 5 tbsp thai red curry paste
- 2 cans lite coconut milk
- 2 tbsp coconut sugar
- 4 tsp fish sauce
- 2 tbsp lime juice
- 1 cup pineapple finely diced
- 1 ½ cups canned lychees drained and rinsed
- 1 package Catelli Ancient Grains Spaghettini Pasta 340 g
- Salt for cooking
Instructions
- Heat ½ tablespoon of coconut oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium high heat and add the chicken. Season with a pinch each of salt and pepper, and cook until opaque, about 7-9 minutes. Remove from the pan and set aside in a bowl.
- Return the pan to the stove, then add in the bell pepper, carrots, and snow peas. Cook until softened and lightly browned, about 5-6 minutes. Transfer to the bowl with the chicken and set aside.
- Return the pan again to the stove and add in the remaining tablespoon of oil. Add the green onions and sauté for 2 minutes on medium heat until softened, then add in the ginger and garlic and sauté for an additional minute. Stir in the curry paste, coconut milk, sugar, soy sauce, fish and lime juice. Simmer the sauce while whisking the curry paste into the liquid and allow the sauce to thicken slightly, about 6-8 minutes. Season with salt and pepper, to taste.
- Add in the chicken, vegetables, pineapple and lychees and stir until well coated. Keep warm.
- Meanwhile, cook the Catelli Ancient Grains according to the package.
- To serve, divide the pasta between bowls, top with the curry and garnish with red chili peppers, cilantro and peanuts.
Abbey Sharp is a Registered Dietitian, an avid food writer and blogger, a cookbook author and the founder of Abbey’s Kitchen Inc.
Jf says
The instructions say to add broth but it isn’t listed with the other ingredients.
Abbey Sharp says
Oops thanks for catching! No broth needed!
Amy Gorin says
Sounds delicious!
Abbey Sharp says
Thanks Amy!
Ginger Hultin says
Fun to add lychee in this recipe!
Abbey Sharp says
Adds such an awesome flavour 🙂
Kara @ Byte Sized Nutrition says
I don’t think I’ve ever actually had lychee.. but now I want to try it! I’m such a sucker for anything curry – and that shrimp is just the icing on the cake!
Abbey Sharp says
It’s sweet and chewy it’s awesome.
Christina Bauer says
I’ve never cooked with lychees before!! I think I had them in a cocktail once or twice. So this is super interesting.
Abbey Sharp says
oh yea, had them in multiple cocktails, oops.
Katie Cavuto says
Love everything about this dish — so fun!
Abbey Sharp says
thank you!
Emily | EmPowered Nutrition says
What a colorful meal! This looks so delicious! Yum!
Abbey Sharp says
thanks!
Kerri Olkjer says
Love anything curry!
Abbey Sharp says
me too!
Riz says
I love lychees! Honestly, I’d eat lychee-flavoured tree bark.
I can’t wait to try out this recipe. It sounds delicious!
Abbey Sharp says
Haha I love it too! Thanks!
Chrissy says
This looks amazing. I love that you added the shrimp too. Too bad we don’t have that brand of pasta because that sounds super super healthy.
Abbey Sharp says
It’s awesome! High fibre and protein!