Kamut. It took me several tries before I figured how to pronounce that one. There was a phase when I pronounced it “come-moo” because kamut makes cows come and “moo,” right? Then I pronounced it “cam[corder]-mutt.” No explanation there. It took a while, but instead of continuing to sound like an idiot, I finally broke down and did what a normal person would: googled it.
Pronunciation: kah-moot, accent on the first syllable. Realization: I was so off.
I know we’re head over heals in love with ancient grains now, but have you tried this one? Visually, they’re like long-grain brown rice but much more curvaceous. Texturally, they’re chewy fun. Nutritionally, it’s packed with protein. Three good reasons why kamut should be in our pantries by this weekend.
Because kamut is so curvaceous, it needs a bit more time to cook. We’re talking 50 to 60 minutes, about the length of an episode of The Great British Bake Off or Downton Abbey. Yes, I measure time according to my favorite TV shows. So just cook up a huge batch of this over the weekend while watching your favorite show and you’ll have plenty to last you for the rest of the week.
I dreamed up this recipe after seeing this Chicken, Broccoli, and Brown Rice delight on Cooking Light. Swapping brown rice for kamut gives this already delicious casserole extra protein. More wholesome goodness for our body!
Creamy Chicken and Kamut Casserole
Ingredients
- 2 cups cooked kamut, 1 cup uncooked, about 180g; see note for cooking
- 1 1/2 cups (355ml) low-fat milk (I used 2%)
- 3 TBS all-purpose flour
- 1 tsp kosher salt
- 1 tsp fresh thyme
- 1 1/2 TBS olive oil
- 8 oz (225g) chicken breast, chopped into small pieces
- 1/2 small onion, chopped (about 1/3 cup)
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1/2 large red pepper, chopped
- 4 cups chopped collard greens, about 6 large leaves
- 1 1/2 oz (40g) cotswold cheese, shredded
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 450 degrees F (230 degrees C).
- Whisk the milk, flour, salt, and thyme together until there are almost no clumps left. Set aside.
- Heat the oil in an iron-cast or oven-proof skillet over medium-high heat. Add the onions and garlic, and stir constantly. Let them cook for about a minute. Add the chicken and cook it for 5-6 minutes.
- Add the pepper and collard greens and let it cook for a few minutes, until the collard greens have wilted.
- Stir in the milk mixture in the skillet and reduce the heat a little (about a medium-low). Cook for a minute or two, until the mixture starts to thicken and bubble. Be sure to stir frequently because the sauce will start to burn at the bottom.
- Turn off the heat and mix in the kamut. Sprinkle cheese on top.
- Place the skillet in the oven and cook for about 2 minutes, until the cheese has melted.
- Enjoy while hot!
Notes
Looking for more skillet meals?
Swiss Chard and Golden Beet Frittata
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Julia says
I haven’t used kamut but I am very intrigued now! I am pinning this to try!
Lisa says
Thanks, Julia!
Viviane says
If you have never tried kamut and you like different grains, this dish is absolutely worth the try! it is delicious! I used spinach instead of collard greens, and cheddar cheese instead of the cheese recommended in the recipe. I love cheddar and thought that it would be perfect for this dish (and it was!).
Lisa Lin says
Viviane, thank you so much for trying the recipe! I’m so glad you enjoyed it!!
Alice @ Hip Foodie Mom says
oh I love learning about new grains!!! I’ve never heard of or had kamut before!!! This looks sooo good, Lisa!!!
Lisa says
You have to try it, Alice! It’s like a larger and slightly chewier version of wheat berries!
Kelly // The Pretty Bee: Cooking & Creating says
This looks beautiful, Lisa! So rich and comforting. I have actually never tried kamut before.
Lisa says
Thanks, Kelly!! Kamut is definitely worth trying!
heather @french press says
kamut is a grain that I have yet to try, but this casserole looks fantastic!
Lisa says
Thanks, Heather!
Amber Ketchum says
This looks so good! Kamut has been on my list of grains to try for a while now, so I hope to make this soon!
Lisa says
Yes! Let me know if you try the kamut, Amber!
Cathleen @ A Taste Of Madness says
I need to try kamut! This looks so good!
Lisa says
Thanks, Cathleen!
Meal Makeover Mom Janice says
Wow, whole grains never looked so good! I have a new large cast iron skillet that would be perfect for this recipe. 🙂
Lisa says
Yay! Let me know how it goes, Janice!
Ashley | Spoonful of Flavor says
I love meals like this! Added this to my dinner menu for next week and can’t wait to make it!
Lisa says
YES!!! Thanks, Ashley!
Valerie says
What a beautiful dish! Time for me to try out Kamut! Your photography is wonderful and that recipe looks amazing.
Lisa says
Thank you so much, Valerie!
Julia says
Can you believe I have zero experience with kamut? I’ve heard such marvelous things about it, so I really have no excuse! My mouth is watering so hard over this creamy chicken skillet, and it’s only 7am, ha! I must make this for dinner over the weekend – #SkilletFood for the win!
Lisa says
I ate some of this for breakfast one day, so I feel your craves!
Sarah | Broma Bakery says
I’ve never heard of kamut! Is sounds (and looks) absolutely delicious in this casserole, though. Seems like a trip to the health food store is in order… 🙂
Lisa says
You should definitely try kamut! Takes forever to cook, but totally worth it!
Eileen says
This sounds like such a tasty spin on a classic! You have to love the total comfort-food vibe.
Lisa says
Absolutely! Thanks, Eileen!
Emma says
Lisa- This looks wonderful! We shared this on our Facebook page and thought to pop over with some more information about KAMUT® Brand khorasan wheat for you and your readers.
KAMUT® Brand khorasan is an organic, non-genetically modified, ancient wheat variety similar to durum. In 1990, “KAMUT” was registered as a trademark by the Quinn family in order to support organic farming and preserve the ancient khorasan wheat variety. Under the KAMUT® Brand name, this khorasan wheat must always be grown organically, never be hybridized or modified, and contain high levels of purity and nutrition. Today, Kamut International owns and has registered the KAMUT® trademark in over 40 countries, and is responsible for protection and marketing of all KAMUT® Brand khorasan wheat throughout the world.
KAMUT® wheat is grown on dryland certified organic farms primarily in Montana, Alberta, and Saskatchewan. The grain is prized by consumers who appreciate the grain for its high energy nutrition, easy digestibility, nutty/buttery taste, and firm texture. KAMUT® khorasan wheat is higher in protein, selenium, amino acids, and Vitamin E than most modern wheat and contains essential minerals such as magnesium and zinc. It is used as whole grain berries, whole grain flour, white flour, flakes, and puffs to make a variety of products. Some specific benefits of using KAMUT® khorasan are receiving more nutrients, protein, and taste than most commonly consumed whole wheat – plus supporting organic agriculture and helping to preserve an ancient grain.
KAMUT® khorasan is a variety of wheat thus has gluten content. A lot of people who are not able to tolerate wheat tell us that they are able to tolerate KAMUT® khorasan wheat. KI has ongoing research to understand why – it is our theory that because KAMUT® khorasan is an ancient grain, it retains the qualities that made it desirable so many years ago.
Please visit the Kamut International website at http://www.kamut.com to learn more. And follow us on Facebook and Twitter to keep up with the latest news!
My kind regards – Emma
Christine | No Gojis, No Glory says
Uhhh…oops. Guess I’ve been pronouncing it wrong all this time too! What the heck!…No one has ever said anything. Lol But on a serious note, this is going on our menu next week. Thanks for the recipe Lisa!
Lisa says
Haha, glad I’m not the only one! Let me know if you give this a whirl!
Kelsey says
I threw this in the old calorie counter, and it said 368 calories, 29 g protein and 34 g carbs per serving.
Kenneth DeVeau says
My daughter had a jar of karmut in her pantry for years, so to get rid of it I looked up recipes and found yours.
Using what was available, I substituted spinach for the collard greens, vanilla almond milk and heavy cream instead of milk, a few.different herbs, and shredded cheddar cheese. No iron skillet, so I topped a regular skillet to melt the cheese. Turned out super yummy.
Recommend cooking the karmut in advance and cooking it well, difficult to overcook, and important to be plump and tender.
Thank you for this recipe, the family really enjoyed it
Lisa Lin says
Hi, Kenneth. Thanks for trying the recipe! Glad you and the family enjoyed it!
Dax Conklin says
Hi Lisa,
I made this recipe and enjoyed it very much. I also substituted greens with spinach and used whole milk and since I’m a cheese-a-holic I used whole 8oz block of sharp chedder mixed in. Thanks for the recipe cant wait to make it again.
I recommend presoaking the kamut to cut the their cook time in half, to 30 minutes. After soaking overnight I cooked them in chicken stock. Love the chewy texture of these “berries” as the package calls them.
Lisa Lin says
Hi, Dax! Thank you so much for trying this recipe. I’m so glad that you enjoyed it, and thanks for the cooking notes!
Susan Morgan says
I cooked the Kamut for 1 hr and 20 min – still too chewy for my mother – but I liked it. I substituted Kale and broccoli leaves for the greens and used a different shredded cheese. I took your advise and cooked more Kamut then required and will next be trying it in a salad as suggested. Thanks!
Lisa Lin says
Susan, thank you so much for making this recipe!
Becky says
I made this last night & it was delicious! Now I can say I’ve cooked with kamut *and* cotswold cheese! Not many can make that claim.
Darlene says
Wonderful recipe – love Kamut and the mix of veggies. Thank you!