Thai Chicken with Asparagus and Mushrooms
Serves 4
Cooking Time 3 to 4 hours on Low
Slow Cooker Size 5½ to 7 Quarts
WHY THIS RECIPE WORKS: Thai dishes are known for their complex, long-simmered flavor. A few shortcut ingredients and the slow cooker were all we needed to create a boldly flavored, but easy-to-prepare, Thai chicken dinner. Thai red curry paste was an easy swap for an overwhelming list of traditional seasonings. We enriched it with coconut milk to deepen the flavor of our sauce. Stirring in a portion of the coconut milk just before serving helped to deepen the coconut flavor, which otherwise can taste washed out after several hours in the slow cooker. A little instant tapioca helped to thicken the sauce to a currylike consistency that went perfectly with rice. Bone-in chicken breasts stayed moist and tender as the sauce simmered and the rich flavors melded. We liked light, fresh asparagus and delicate shiitakes in this dish, but they turned to mush in the slow cooker. Luckily, just 5 minutes in the microwave was enough to turn them tender, then we added them to the dish at the end. We finished the sauce with lime juice, fish sauce, and fresh cilantro to brighten its rich flavors. Serve with rice. See the sidebar that follows the recipe.
1 |
cup canned coconut milk |
2 |
tablespoons Thai red curry paste |
1 |
tablespoon instant tapioca |
|
Salt and pepper |
4 |
(12-ounce) bone-in split chicken breasts, trimmed |
1 |
pound asparagus, trimmed and cut into 1-inch lengths |
1 |
pound shiitake mushrooms, stemmed and sliced ½ inch thick |
1 |
tablespoon vegetable oil |
2 |
tablespoons lime juice |
1 |
tablespoon fish sauce |
¼ |
cup minced fresh cilantro |
1. Whisk ½ cup coconut milk, curry paste, tapioca, ½ teaspoon salt, and ½ teaspoon pepper together in slow cooker. Season chicken with salt and pepper and nestle into slow cooker. Cover and cook until chicken is tender, 3 to 4 hours on low.
2. Transfer chicken to serving dish, remove skin, and tent with aluminum foil. Microwave asparagus, mushrooms, and oil in bowl, stirring occasionally, until tender, about 5 minutes.
3. Stir microwaved vegetables, remaining ½ cup coconut milk, lime juice, and fish sauce into braising liquid and let heat through for 5 minutes. Stir in cilantro and pour sauce over chicken. Serve.