Ingredients

  • 300g chicken breast, cut in half lengthways
  • 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
  • 1 teaspoon ground cumin
  • 100g cherry or mini roma tomatoes
  • 100g cauliflower, grated
  • 150g brown rice, cooked
  • 80g lentils, cooked (or canned and drained)
  • 2 tablespoons sultanas or currants
  • 2 tablespoons pepitas
  • 2 tablespoons sunflower seeds
  • 1 tablespoons flat leaf parsley, chopped
  • 1 tablespoon mint, chopped

For the dressing

  • 2 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
  • Pinch of ground pepper
  • 3 tablespoons honey
  • 3 tablespoons lemon juice
  • ¼ teaspoon curry powder

Method

  1. Preheat the oven to 200°C.
  2. Rub the chicken in the oil and season with black pepper and ground cumin. Place the chicken on oven baking trays, scatter tomatoes around them. Bake for 20 minutes or until golden brown and chicken is cooked. Cover with foil once cooked to keep the chicken tender. Slice chicken to bite size pieces for the children to serve themselves. Divide into serving bowls with the tomatoes.
  3. Meanwhile, make the salad. Place all the dressing ingredients in a small bowl, whisk and set aside.
  4. In a large bowl, place the grated cauliflower, quinoa/black rice, lentils, seeds, sultanas and herbs. Mix well and pour over the dressing and toss to coat.
  5. Divide the salad into serving bowls, along with the chicken and tomato bowls, place in children’s rooms for a self-serve meal.  

Notes

  • Quinoa, buckwheat, wild rice and barley are very nutritious and tasty alternatives to brown rice. If your budget allows, try one of these grains in place of brown rice.

This recipe is part of Nutrition Australia Vic Division’s Long Day Care Menu Pack.

The long day care menu pack is a rotating four-week seasonal menu, tailored to the number of children in each centre. It was first launched in 2019 and continues to be a popular product for Nutrition Australia Vic Division.