Takeout-Inspired Coconut Chicken Curry

Ingredients

• 2 c jasmine rice
• Salt to taste
• Pepper to taste
• 1-1 ½ boneless skinless chicken thighs, sliced
• Olive oil
• 1 yellow onion, medium diced
• 1 red bell peppers, thinly sliced
• 5 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 Tbsp fresh ginger, minced
• 1 Tbsp tomato paste
• 2 Tbsp curry paste
• 1 ¾ c unsweetened coconut milk
• ¼ pound Bok choy
• 2-3 stems cilantro, for garnish
• 1 lime, quartered, for garnish

Instructions

Cook the Rice:

1. In a small pot, combine the rice, 4 cups of water, and a big pinch of salt. Heat to boiling on high.
2. Once boiling, reduce the heat to low, cover and simmer until the water is absorbed, about 14 to 16 minutes. Turn off the heat. Fluff the rice with a fork.

Cook the Chicken:

1. While the rice cooks, pat the chicken dry and season with salt and pepper.
2. In a large pan, heat 2 teaspoons of olive oil on medium-high until hot. Add the seasoned chicken in an even layer.
3. Cook without stirring until browned, about 3 to 4 minutes per side.

Add the Vegetables:

1. Increase the heat to high and add the onion and pepper to the pan of browned chicken. Season with salt and pepper.
2. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables are slightly softened, about 6 to 8 minutes.
3. Reduce the heat to medium and add the garlic and ginger.
4. Cook, stirring occasionally, until fragrant, about a minute.

Add the Seasonings:

1. Add the tomato paste, coconut milk, and curry paste to the pan of chicken and vegetables.
2. Cook, stirring frequently, until toasted and fragrant, about 1 to 2 minutes.
3. Garnish with fresh cilantro (if that’s your thing) and enjoy!

Recipe Notes and Variations

• We prefer to use full-fat coconut milk for its luscious body and full flavor. However, light coconut milk would also work in this recipe—it just may create a slightly thinner sauce.
• We prefer to use pasture-raised chicken thighs, as they remain the juiciest, but feel free to swap out for pasture-raised chicken breasts—just reduce the cook time a bit to avoid drying out the breasts since they have less fat.
• Depending on how thick your bok choy heads are, we recommend cutting them lengthwise so they’re about 1 inch thick at the base.
• Don’t skimp on cooking the tomato and curry pastes! Cooking the concentrated pastes until browned—but not burned—caramelizes the natural sugars, intensifying and deepening their unique flavors. Don’t worry if the pastes get stuck to the bottom of the pan, as adding the coconut milk will help and build even more flavor.