Coconut milk and curry powder together make for a tremendously satisfying dish.

But then,

add ginger, jalapeno, fresh cilantro, and a mass of minced garlic, and

Heavens, yes.

 Yes.

This lively Indian meal is two things: quick and wildly flavorful. Your house will smell divine–less like curry and more like sauteed ginger and garlic. When I made it, I wondered why I hadn’t thought to invite a bunch of guests over, because it’s one of those meals whose flavors taste a lot more complex and sophisticated than they really are.

Serve it with peas, long-grain white rice, and lots of fresh cilantro for a full, balanced dinner.

And please, invite me over.

Coconut Curry Chicken

Serves 4

1  1/4 pounds boneless, skinless chicken thighs

½ teaspoon salt

½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

1 medium onion, thinly sliced

3 garlic cloves, minced

1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh ginger

2 jalapeño peppers, cored, seeded, and finely chopped

1 tablespoon curry powder

½ teaspoon turmeric

1 cup chicken broth

1 cup light coconut milk

¼ cup packed cilantro leaves, roughly chopped

Sprinkle the chicken with the salt and pepper. In a large frying pan set over medium-high heat, heat 1 tablespoon of the olive oil. Add the chicken thighs and cook, undisturbed, until crisp and browned, about 4 minutes. Flip the chicken and cook for 3 more minutes.  Transfer the chicken to a plate and return the pan to the heat. Add the remaining 1 tablespoon of oil. Add the onion and cook, stirring frequently, until tender but still crisp, about 3 minutes. Reduce the heat to medium and add the garlic, ginger, and jalapeño, and cook, stirring constantly, until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add the curry powder and cook, stirring constantly, for 30 seconds. Stir in the chicken broth and scrape up any browned bits in the pan. Return the chicken to the pan and bring the broth to a boil. Reduce the heat and let the broth simmer for 5 minutes. Add the coconut milk and simmer for 2 minutes. Remove the pan from the heat and let it stand for 5 minutes before serving. Garnish with fresh cilantro.

Nutrition Information for 1 Serving (1/4^th of Entire Recipe): Calories 320, Total Fat 17.3 g, Total Carbohydrate 2.4 g, Dietary Fiber 0.5 g, Sugars 1 g, Protein 33.9 g

Tagged as: chicken, coconut, curry, Indian, poultry