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When I was a kid, my best friend was East Indian. We were quite a Mutt and Jeff pair. I was a very, tall, pale, blue-eyed blonde and she was short, dark skin, dark-eyed Indian. We didn’t care what we looked like, we were besties. We spent a lot of time at each others houses of course and one of the things we unknowingly did, just being kids, was expose each other to different cultures.
Coconut Curry Chicken tastes as good as it smells!! Wonderful!!
My mom cooked all kinds of foods, so that exposed her to a variety of foods from around the world and she exposed me to East Indian cooking with Dahl, rice, black beans, curries and the amazing braised meats in delicious sauces. Don’t get me wrong, we were normal kids and we loved fast food, and would choose that first if we had the option. Those times are ingrained my memory, so when I make Coconut Curry Chicken and I smell the curry, I always think of her and the lovely fragrance that washed over me when I walked into her house.
At the time, I had no idea what I was smelling, or what made the food that lovely yellow and golden color, but I learned it was curry. Curry is a combination of spices that includes, but is not limited to turmeric, coriander, cumin, ginger, chiles in various quantities and depending on what region it comes from, determines what and how much of each, is in it.
Coconut Curry Chicken is tender, succulent chicken, braised in warm, spicy, coconut milk and served over rice.
I love all kinds of curry, but I typically make Coconut Curry Chicken because its is economical to buy chicken in bulk and part it out for different meals and place it in the freezer. I also normally have bell peppers, Jalapenos, and coconut milk on hand, so this comes together quickly and easily.
When I make Coconut Curry Chicken, I make a big batch of this so we can have leftovers to eat throughout the week. I have a Camp Chef 14-inch cast iron skillet that I use because it is heavy duty, HUGE and can handle a whole pack of chicken thighs and all the sauce needed to braise.
I start by browning the chicken thighs in a little oil, this helps start the cooking process for the thighs and imparts a lovely color to the skin. After searing the chicken, I remove it and to the oil in the pan, I add julienned bell peppers and the Jalapenos and saute them for a few minutes. I add the gorgeous, fragrant spices, chick peas, coconut milk and stir, then all the chicken thighs go back into the pool for a good braise.
Coconut Curry Chicken can be served in a bowl with ladles of sauce poured over the pieces of chicken, or over brown or white rice and one of my favorites, over cauliflower rice. The sky is the limit! I also like it served with homemade Naan bread that you fold and use to dip into the sauce and pick up pieces of the tender chicken and chick peas.
Coconut Curry Chicken
Ingredients
- 4 chicken thighs, skin on
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 2 large jalapeno peppers , seeded and chopped
- 1 large red, bell peppers, julienned
- 2 cloves chopped, garlic
- 2-1/2 tbsp red curry paste I used Thai Red Curry Paste
- 2 tbsp yellow, curry powder
- 1-1/2 tbsp garam masala powder
- 1 14 ounce coconut milk
- salt and pepper to taste
- 1 bunch chopped, cilantro for garnish
Instructions
- Salt and pepper chicken, then place oil in a large, hot, skillet and sear each side of the chicken for about 5 minutes. If you are doubling this recipe, cook the chicken in batches. When the chicken is done remove from the skillet and keep warm.
- Next, add the julienned bell pepper and the chopped Jalapeno peppers to the remaining oil in the skillet. Remove the seeds of the pepper if you don't want the dish as spicy. Saute for about 5-7 minutes.
- Add in the chopped, garlic, curry paste and powder, garam masala, coconut milk, to the peppers in the skillet, stir to combine and season with salt and pepper.
- Then add the chicken back into the skillet and submerge the chicken pieces in the coconut curry liquid and cook for approximately 30 minutes. Flip the chicken over at about the 15 minute mark to make sure the chicken gets fully cooked or internal temperature of the chicken reaches 165 degrees.
- Serve this over white or brown rice, noodles or even cauliflower rice. Garnish with chopped cilantro, or fresh, chopped parsley and additional sliced Jalapeno peppers and/or red pepper flakes.
This is a dish that is a delight to the eyes, the nose and the taste buds! It leaves you wishing you had more room in your belly so you could just keep eating. One of the delightful things about this, Coconut Curry Chicken is it tastes amazing leftover. It just gets better and better as the flavors infuse the meat and vegetables. I hope you give this a try and take your tastebuds on a trip they will never forget. Enjoy friends!!
Coconut Curry Chicken is my favorite, but do you have a favorite curry recipe you like to make?
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