Red Curry with Chicken
My favorite fridge clean-out situation. Curry is the perfect comfort food—warming, hearty, and intensely flavorful. By swapping cauliflower rice for regular rice, this classic Thai dish becomes low-carb and anti-inflammatory thanks to ingredients like garlic, ginger, turmeric, coconut, and any fresh vegetables and protein you want to add. Nix the chicken for vegetarian, or sub in your favorite plant-based protein. Shrimp is excellent too. Whatever you throw in there will just be a carrier for the sauce.
This recipe comes together in less than 30 minutes, due to a few staples that every pantry should have on hand: canned unsweetened coconut milk (full fat), curry paste (any kind you like—my pick is red), and frozen cauliflower rice. Those, plus garlic and fresh ginger, and your’e more than half the way to an epic, flavorful, and warming curry. Anything goes!
Serves 3.
TOOLS:
1 large high-sided saute pan (like this) and a second frying pan
1 miroplane/zester
hand citrus squeezer
cutting board and chef’s knife
vegetable peeler (ideal but not required)
can opener
INGREDIENTS:
~1 lb organic boneless skinless chicken breasts—can sub any protein like shrimp, or eliminate and just do veg.
1 can organic unsweetened full-fat coconut milk (not “lite”)—I like Thai Kitchen or Native Forest. Unsweetened coconut cream works too, for a thicker consistency.
1 12oz package frozen (or fresh) organic riced cauliflower—I use Whole Foods 365 frozen.
1 jar red curry paste—I use Mekhala or Thai Kitchen (make sure there’s no sugar).
1 yellow or white onion, diced
1 red bell pepper, chopped
1 head broccoli, roughly chopped into small florets
1 lime, mostly zested + juiced
1 bunch cilantro—we will use ~1/2 cup finely chopped and for garnish
can sub or mix in Thai Basil, if you can find it!
any other vegetables you want to add—carrots (pre-shredded is easy), snow peas, bamboo shoots, cauliflower, asparagus, anything goes!
3 garlic cloves
1” piece fresh ginger
1 T fish sauce—I use Red Boat. sub coconut aminos for vegan.
2 T organic virgin coconut oil or avocado oil
himalayan pink salt
black pepper
optional: 1 tsp coriander
for extra spice: 1/2 chili pepper of your choosing, mostly seeded, and diced. alternatively, add chili powder/cayenne.
STEPS:
Gather all ingredients. Keep frozen cauliflower rice in the freezer until you’re ready to make It.
Start with some prep so it’s easier once you start cooking.
ginger—cut off ~1” piece and use a vegetable peeler to remove the skins, peeling into the trash. chop into matchsticks, then chop crosswise to finely mince. set aside in a small bowl.
garlic cloves—remove skins, press with the flat side of a knife, and finely mince. add to bowl with ginger.
onion—chop off stem/ends, halve lengthwise, then slice each half into thin strips lengthwise before dicing. set aside on it’s own.
other veg—chop bell pepper, broccoli, hot pepper if using, and any additional veggies into similar bite-sizes pieces. add all to a third bowl and set aside.
chicken—pat dry and slice into ~1” bite-sized pieces or small thin strips. set aside on it’s own.
coconut milk—shake well and open with can-opener.
Heat oil in high-sided saute pan over medium-high. Once hot, add minced garlic and ginger. Cook 1-2 minutes or until fragrant.
Add chopped onion and 1 tsp pink salt. Cook ~5 minutes or until soft but not yet browned.
Add the jar of red curry paste, and coriander/additional spices (if using). Stir to disperse and cook ~3 more minutes. It will smell amazing, and the curry paste may turn a brighter color.
Add chicken pieces, if using. Evenly distribute so all of the chicken makes contact with the pan. Cook, stirring often, until chicken is browned on all sides, around 7 minutes.
Add all other vegetables and 1 T fish sauce. Toss to incorporate. Cook ~4 minutes, until veggies are bright in color but not fully cooked.
Add the coconut milk, and mix everything well, incorporating the coconut cream (if separated in can) until smooth. Turn heat to medium, simmering uncovered.
Zest the whole lime into the pan, and squeeze the juice from a half. Stir to combine.
Do a taste test—add more salt, pepper, lime juice, or other seasoning to your liking.
Bunch up a handful of fresh cilantro (and thai basil, if you have) into a tight ball on a cutting board and finely chop. Add most of this to the pan, stirring to combine. Save the remainder for garnish.
Turn heat to low, cover and let simmer.
Make cauliflower rice. Heat 1 T avocado oil in a separate sauté pan. If using frozen, pound bag to break up any clumps, then open. When oil is hot, pour in cauliflower rice, toss to coat, and season very generously with salt. Really let it rest and do it’s thing, this will yield crispier results. Stir and flip after a few minutes, continuing to cook until rice is nicely crispy/al dente and not mushy.
Serve immediately in bowls with cauliflower rice and top with curry. Garnish with another squeeze of lime and cilantro. Enjoy!
