Soft Polenta Bowl with Chicken & Glazed Carrots
By Robin Tasker · Serves 3 · 35 min
Vitamin C +
StrawberriesMandarinPapayaRed capsicumOmega-3 fats +
SalmonSardinesCanned tunaThree lenses: how gentle on the gut, how nourishing, how tasty — because gentle isn't the same as healthy. How the scores work →
Creamy parmesan polenta topped with shredded chicken and stock-glazed carrots — three gentle building blocks in one warm, comforting, gluten-free bowl.
This is a 'shop the fridge' dinner that comes together from things you've already made. Soft parmesan polenta as the base, shredded chicken for protein, glazed carrots for sweetness and colour — all gentle, all gluten-free, all genuinely good.
It's the kind of bowl that looks and tastes like you put in effort, when really you just reheated three building blocks.
Ingredients
- Polenta*
- 150 g polenta (cornmeal)
- 700 ml onion-free stock
- 30 g parmesan, finely grated
- 20 g butter
- Topping*
- 200 g cooked chicken breast, shredded
- 200 g carrot, peeled and sliced
- 150 ml onion-free stock
- 1 tbsp garlic-infused oil
- 1 tsp maple syrup
Method
- Glaze the carrots first: simmer the sliced carrot in the 150 ml stock in a shallow pan for 10–12 minutes until soft and the stock has nearly gone, then add the garlic-infused oil and maple syrup and toss for a minute until glossy. Warm the shredded chicken through in the same pan.
- Make the polenta: bring the 700 ml stock to a gentle simmer, whisk in the polenta, then cook on low, stirring often, for 25–30 minutes until soft and creamy. Beat in the parmesan and butter, and season.
- Spoon the soft polenta into bowls, top with the shredded chicken and glazed carrots, and spoon over any glaze from the pan.
Gentler swaps
Built from the kit: soft parmesan polenta, shredded chicken and stock-glazed carrots in one bowl.
Gluten-free: polenta makes this a naturally gluten-free comfort bowl.
For the family
Cook once — your gentle version, plus how to pep it up for everyone else.
Build the one batch of each. The family can add chilli oil, a fried egg or extra parmesan to their bowls — yours stays soft and gentle.
Scores are modelled estimates, not medical advice. Everyone's gut is different, and tolerance changes over time. Reintroduce foods one at a time, and follow your own medical team's advice.