I haven't been cooking much because my diet has consisted of chicken noodle soup, but I finally worked up some energy and an appetite to cook something hearty and delicious last night. If there is anything that you can guess on finding in my freezer is chicken or boxes of butter and nuts because they stay fresh there. I have the gigantic packets from Costco of chicken breasts, chicken thighs and legs (I'm like a chicken hoarder or something) and it's one protein I prepare at least once or twice a week. This is one of the many weekly chicken dishes of the week and takes about 30 minutes to prepare. The delicate aroma of simmering curry chicken is a delight to my senses and brought my appetite back to life!
Easy Chicken Curry with Peas
Adapted from Cat Cora's Classics with a Twist
Printable Recipe
Ingredients:
4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts (about 2 3/4 pounds)
2 teaspoons kosher salt
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
3 tablespoons curry powder
1/4 cup olive oil, plus more if needed
1 green or red bell pepper, diced
2 garlic cloves, minced
2 medium red onions, sliced into 1/4-inch rings
1 14-ounce can unsweetened coconut milk
1/4 cup water, plus more if needed
2 cups peas, fresh or frozen
3 green onions, chopped
1 tablespoon fresh cilantro, chopped
Preparation:
Prepare the chicken and cut into 1-inch pieces. Place the chicken in a pyrex medium bowl and sprinkle with the seasonings - salt, pepper and curry powder. Cover and refrigerate for at least one hour or overnight.
In a large dutch oven or skillet over medium-high heat, add 2 tablespoons of olive oil. Saute the chicken pieces and half the diced bell pepper until lightly browned. Stirring occasionally and making sure all pieces are no longer pink. Transfer the chicken to a plate, and saute the remaining chicken and bell peppers until it is cooked. Remove the chicken and place on plate. Set aside.
In the same dutch oven or skillet, add a tablespoon of olive oil or more as needed. Saute the onions until tender, add the garlic and cook for 1 more minute. Return the chicken back into the dutch oven and any remaining juices. Add the coconut milk and water and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to a simmer and cover and cook for 20 minutes. If it's too thick, add a tablespoon of water as needed.
Check the consistency of the curry, it should be rich like velvet and a bright vivid yellow color. Add in the peas, green onions and cilantro and stir to combine. Serve with basmati or white/brown rice.
Enjoy!
Yield: 6 servings (1 cup of curry chicken)
Nutritional Data: Calories: 331; Carbs: 12g; Sugar: 3; Fiber: 4; Fat: 21
Review: Easiest chicken curry to put together for a weeknight dinner and a perfect cure for my head cold. It wasn't too heavy and had a nice balance of flavors. The lingering smells from the cooking the onions and garlic always bring me to my knees and the sweet curry is a delightful and intoxicating aroma. It's like I want to take a bath in it or swim in a sea of it. This is definitely a new chicken dinner favorite for us, and I can't wait to make it again. Maybe adding diced potatoes or cashews would give additional textures, too.