Coconut-Curry Braised Chicken
SERVES 4
WHY THIS RECIPE WORKS Thai curries are often elaborate dishes, requiring a considerable list of spices and aromatics to achieve maximum flavor and complexity. While we love the depth of flavor imparted by from-scratch curry powder, we don’t love the time or effort involved. Fortunately, we found a convenient substitute in store-bought red curry paste, which made it easy to build big flavor with few ingredients and little effort. To bolster the flavor of the curry paste, we turned to scallions and grated ginger. Lime zest and juice added bright, citrusy notes. Coconut milk was a given for a Thai-style curry, but we used it for more than just the braising liquid. A tablespoon provided just enough fat in which to brown the chicken breasts and sauté the aromatics, and a big dash stirred in at the end of cooking contributed a fresh, clean creaminess to the reduced sauce. Click here for more information on red curry paste. Serve with rice.
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4 |
(10- to 12-ounce) bone-in split chicken breasts |
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1⅔ |
cups coconut milk |
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3 |
scallions |
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1 |
lime |
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Fresh ginger |
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2 |
tablespoons red curry paste |
1. Trim chicken, pat dry with paper towels, and season with salt and pepper. Heat 1 tablespoon coconut milk in Dutch oven over medium heat until hot. Brown 2 chicken breasts on both sides, 8 to 10 minutes; transfer to plate. Repeat with 1 tablespoon coconut milk and remaining chicken.
2. Mince scallion whites and slice scallion greens; keep whites and greens separate. Cook 1 tablespoon coconut milk and scallion whites in now-empty pot over medium heat until softened, 3 to 5 minutes. Grate lime for ½ teaspoon zest, then squeeze for 2 teaspoons juice. Grate 1½ tablespoons ginger, stir into pot with lime zest and curry paste, and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute.
3. Stir in 1 cup coconut milk and ½ cup water, scraping up any browned bits. Nestle chicken and any accumulated juices into pot and bring to simmer. Cover, reduce heat to medium-low, and simmer gently until chicken registers 160 degrees, 25 to 30 minutes.
4. Transfer chicken to serving dish; cover to keep warm. Continue to simmer sauce until reduced to 1 cup, about 4 minutes. Stir in remaining coconut milk and let heat through, about 2 minutes. Off heat, stir in lime juice and season with salt and pepper to taste. Pour sauce over chicken, sprinkle with scallion greens, and serve.