Spicy Coconut Chicken Casserole - Solar Baked

With just the two of us here, most of my recipes give me the opportunity to enjoy a second meal. Like most everyone else, I don't like eating the SAME meal. That's when you can get creative and make it new, again. We all do it, to save money and discover new recipes for our families.  Enter, the Solar-Poached Chicken Log from a few weeks ago.  Once the leftovers were frozen, that managed to become three separate meals. With about 1/3 pound of protein, the challenge was on! Meal number two was slicing a chicken log and then frying the rounds in a tablespoon of butter, served with Swiss chard and red potatoes. One more meal to go. 

 

The Poached Chicken Log was already full of its own seasonings, so I had to find a way to use it that wouldn't be at odds with the original flavors. Casserole time and an opportunity to kick up the spices.
I had just picked some Poblano peppers from the garden and spied a can of coconut milk in my pantry, and the Spicy Coconut Chicken Casserole was born! There is just enough bite with the cayenne pepper offset by the coconut milk to keep you wanting more. I hope you'll try it. Of course, you'll have to make the Poached Chicken Logs, first – or, simply combine the recipes to get the full flavor.

Spicy Coconut Chicken
1/3 lb ground chicken (log roll #3)
1/2 medium onion, finely chopped
2 poblano chili peppers, finely chopped
1 cup kernel corn
1/2 tsp cayenne pepper
1/2 tsp ground ginger
1/2 tsp ground coriander
1/2 tsp ground cumin
1/2 tsp gound anise
1 tsp crushed lemongrass
1 tsp crushed fennel seeds
2 tsps dark brown sugar
1/2 tsp salt
1/8 tsp black pepper
1.5 tsps corn starch
1 10-oz can coconut milk
1/3 cup uncooked rice

Preheat solar oven to 225F   8x8x2 baking pan, lined with foil, and cover.

 

Sauté onions and peppers. Cool, then mix with the ground chicken removed from cheesecloth roll. combine all dry ingredients before adding to chicken mixture and blend thoroughly. Add coconut milk, rice, and corn. Pour into casserole pan.  Cover and bake in solar oven for 1.5 to 2 hours or until center is set and/or inserted knife comes out clean. A delicious stretching of food dollars; that's for sure.