Name: Oriental Chicken with Eggplants
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 1 h 10 min
Total time: 1 h 20 min
Yield: 2 Servings
Cuisine: Other

Jule’s Menu Verified

February 15, 2026

Here, tender chicken breasts are served atop a fragrant and spiced Persian-style eggplant and tomato sauce, accompanied by golden, curry-infused rice with bursts of sweet cranberries, creating a warm and aromatic dish that’s both comforting and full of flavor.

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Oriental Chicken with Eggplants

Jule’s Menu Verified

Ingredients

Warning0 allergens identified

Instructions

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Instructions

Fill a medium-sized pot with a little water (about 5 cm deep), place a steamer basket or colander inside, and bring the water to a boil. Wash the eggplant and cut it into slices about 2 cm thick.

Once the water boils, place the eggplant in the steamer basket. Reduce the heat to low and steam the eggplant, covered, for approximately 40 minutes, until the flesh is very soft.

Meanwhile, cook the rice according to the package instructions in a pot or rice cooker and then let it cool.

After about 30 minutes, preheat the oven to 170°C (fan-assisted) or 190°C (conventional). Peel the onion, halve it, and cut it into thin strips.

Add oil to the pan and fry the onion rings with a generous pinch of salt for two to four minutes until translucent. Then reduce the heat slightly, add the spices, and fry for another minute while stirring.

Deglaze the pan with the strained tomatoes and simmer over medium heat for about 5 minutes. Then transfer the sauce to a casserole dish, remove the eggplant from the steamer basket and add it to the sauce, shredding the flesh into small pieces with a fork.

Remove any tendons from the chicken fillets, if necessary, and season both sides with salt, allspice, and pepper. Place the fillets between two sheets of parchment or baking paper and pound them thinner with a meat mallet or the bottom of a pot.

Transfer the tomato sauce to a baking dish and return the pan to the stove. Add oil to the pan and sear the fillets over medium-high heat for 2 to 3 minutes on each side. Meanwhile, add the softened eggplant to the tomato sauce and cut it into bite-sized pieces.

Place the chicken fillets on top of the eggplant and tomato sauce and bake in the oven for 15 to 20 minutes, or until the chicken is cooked through.

Return the pan you just used to the stove, add the remaining oil, and fry the rice over low heat for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. After about 5 minutes, season generously with salt, pepper, and curry powder, and stir in the cranberries just before serving.

Remove the chicken breast from the oven. Divide the rice and sauce between two plates and serve with a chicken fillet on each.

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Tips & Tricks (5)

Eggplant Moisture Magic 💦
Salt eggplant slices and let them rest for 30 minutes to draw out excess moisture, preventing a soggy texture and ensuring better caramelization.
Spice Bloom Technique 🌶️
Toast whole spices like cumin and coriander in a dry pan before grinding to intensify their aromatic oils and deepen the flavor profile of the dish.
Chicken Marinade Secret 🍗
Marinate chicken breasts in a mixture of garam masala, olive oil, and a touch of yogurt for at least 2 hours to tenderize and infuse maximum flavor.
Cranberry Rice Trick 🍚
Soak dried cranberries in warm water for 10 minutes before adding to the rice to plump them up and prevent them from becoming too dry during cooking.
Layered Flavor Building 🥘
Sauté onions until golden, then add spices and toast for 30 seconds before introducing tomatoes to create a rich, deeply flavored sauce base.

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About the Cook

Jule’s Menu

Hi, I’m Julia, and I’m the recipe developer, photographer, and author behind Jules’ Menu. I’ve spent the last eight years perfecting healthy everyday recipes so they strike the perfect balance between healthy and nourishing, simple and practical, and gourmet-level delicious.