Low-Carb Risoni with Curried Chicken and Coconut Milk
Low-Carb Risoni with Curry Chicken and Coconut Milk is a creamy, spicy first course, very different from classic Italian pasta recipes.
Low-Carb Risoni is rice-shaped pasta: it's not real rice, but it lends itself very well to creamy, spoonable, and "risotto-style" preparations.
In this recipe, the chicken provides structure, the curry brings aroma and depth, while the coconut milk creates a soft sauce without using cream, flours, or starches.
The result is a rich, aromatic, and satisfying low-carb dish, with a very low carbohydrate content compared to a traditional first course.
👉 For this recipe, you can use our Low-Carb Risoni.
Ingredients for 2 people
| Ingredient | Quantity |
|---|---|
| Low-Carb Risoni | 120 g |
| Chicken breast | 180 g |
| Unsweetened coconut milk | 80 g |
| Fresh baby spinach | 60 g |
| Extra virgin olive oil | 14 g |
| Curry powder without added sugars or starches | 4 g |
| Fresh grated ginger | 5 g |
| Lime juice | 8 g |
| Light broth without sugar or hot water | approx. 450-500 g |
| Fresh cilantro or parsley | 5 g, optional |
| Salt | to taste |
| Black pepper | to taste |
Preparation time
Preparation: 12 minutes
Chicken cooking: 8 minutes
Low-Carb Risoni cooking: 10 minutes
Creaming: 2 minutes
Total time: approximately 25-30 minutes
Servings: 2
How to prepare Low-Carb Risoni with curry chicken and coconut milk
1. Prepare the chicken
Cut the chicken breast into small, regular cubes.
Season it with curry, grated ginger, black pepper, and half of the extra virgin olive oil.
Mix well and let it marinate for a few minutes.
2. Sauté the chicken
Heat a wide casserole dish or a high-sided pan.
Add the remaining extra virgin olive oil and sauté the chicken over medium heat for about 6-8 minutes, until golden and cooked through.
Remove it from the casserole and set aside.
Do not overcook: it will be returned to the dish at the end.
3. Lightly toast the Low-Carb Risoni
Pour the Low-Carb Risoni into the same casserole.
Stir for 30-40 seconds over low heat, just to flavor them with the spiced pan juices.
They don't need to toast like traditional rice: this is only to distribute the curry aroma well.
4. Cook the "risotto-style" Risoni
Add a little hot broth or hot water at a time.
Cook the Low-Carb Risoni for about 10 minutes, stirring gently and adding more liquid as needed.
The final consistency should be creamy, not watery.
5. Add the coconut milk
Halfway through cooking, add the unsweetened coconut milk.
Mix well and continue cooking.
The coconut milk should create a soft sauce, but not overpower the dish.
6. Return the chicken to the casserole
When the Risoni are almost cooked, add the sautéed chicken.
Stir gently and let it flavor for 1-2 minutes.
If the sauce dries out too much, add a tiny bit of hot water.
7. Add the baby spinach
Add the fresh baby spinach only at the end.
It should wilt slightly, without overcooking.
This step keeps the dish fresher and lighter.
8. Finish the dish
Turn off the heat.
Add the lime juice and, if desired, a little fresh cilantro or chopped parsley.
Taste and adjust salt only at the end.
Serve immediately, while the Risoni are still creamy.
Chef's tips
Use unsweetened coconut milk. Avoid sweetened products or sugary coconut drinks.
Choose simple curry powder, without sugar, starches, flours, or maltodextrin on the label.
Do not use ready-made curry pastes unless you have carefully checked the ingredients: many contain sugars or thickeners.
Lime should be added off the heat, so it stays fresh and doesn't become bitter.
The baby spinach should be added at the end, just to wilt it.
If you want a more intense flavor, you can slightly increase the curry, but don't overdo it: it should add aroma, not overpower the chicken.
Low-carb attention
This recipe avoids rice, noodles, flours, starches, sugar, honey, sweet and sour sauces, and thickeners.
The ingredients to pay closest attention to are:
-
coconut milk;
-
curry powder;
-
ready-made broth.
They must be free of added sugars, starches, maltodextrin, or flours.
Estimated nutritional values per 100 g of cooked complete dish
Estimated values considering a final cooked dish weight of approximately 540 g.
| Nutritional Value | Per 100 g |
|---|---|
| Energy | 141 kcal |
| Energy | 590 kJ |
| Fats | 6.5 g |
| of which saturated | 3.3 g |
| Carbohydrates | 2.0 g |
| of which sugars | 0.6 g |
| Fibers | 13.8 g |
| Proteins | 11.9 g |
| Salt | 0.35 g |
Note on nutritional values
The nutritional values are an estimate calculated for the complete recipe, considering:
120 g of dry Low-Carb Risoni;
180 g of chicken breast;
80 g of unsweetened coconut milk;
60 g of fresh baby spinach;
14 g of extra virgin olive oil;
curry, ginger, lime, and flavorings in the indicated quantities;
final cooked weight of approximately 540 g.
Values may vary based on the brand of coconut milk, the composition of the curry, the broth used, the amount of salt added, and the water absorbed by the Risoni during cooking.
To maintain a cleaner low-carb profile, choose ingredients without added sugars, starches, flours, or maltodextrin.
For more information
To make the best use of our low-carb pasta, from cooking to choosing the most suitable shape, you can also read the complete guide: Low-carb pasta: what it is, how to cook it, and how to choose the right one.
👉 Discover all the shapes in the Artisanal Low-Carb Pasta collection.