Basil Chicken in Coconut Curry Sauce
Jalapenos are the most popular chile peppers in the US. This is probably due to the availability and versatility of the chile. Jalapenos have a balanced combination of flavor and heat.
The demand for these have caused breeders to develop a broad range of varieties. You can now get jalapenos with various heat level and sizes. These can be used in salsas, stuffed, or eaten straight with cheeseburgers (my personal favorite).
Ingredients:
For the curry spice:
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. ground coriander
1/2 tsp. cumin
1/2 tsp. ground cloves
1/2 tsp. cinnamon
1/2 tsp. ground cardamom
1/2 tsp. freshly ground black pepper
1/4 tsp. chili powder
1/4 tsp. tumeric
For the chicken:
1 pound skinless, boneless chicken thighs (you can use breasts, but the thighs are more flavorful)
1 large red onion, chopped (about 1 cup)
5 cloves garlic, minced
2 jalapeno peppers, seeded and minced
2 Tbsp. olive oil or grapeseed oil
1 (14 oz.) can coconut milk
2 tsp. cornstarch
1 tsp. Worcestershire sauce
3 Tbsp. fresh basil leaves, chopped
1 Tbsp. finely chopped fresh ginger
Hot cooked rice
Instructions:
For the curry spices:
In a small bowl, mix together the salt, ground coriander, cumin, ground cloves, cinnamon, ground cardamom, black pepper, chili powder, and tumeric. Set the curry spices aside.
For the chicken:
Rinse the chicken and pat it dry. Cut into 1″ pieces. Put the chicken into a bowl and sprinkle the spice mix over all the pieces. Coat well and let the chicken sit for 30 minutes at room temperature or in the refrigerator for 1-2 hours.
In a large skillet heat 1 Tbsp. of oil over medium high heat. Add the onions and jalapeños and cook for 3 minutes. Add the garlic and cook for 1 minute more. Remove the onions, peppers and garlic from the pan and put into a medium sized bowl. Set aside. Use the same pan for the next step.
Add 1 Tbsp. of oil to the skillet and heat over medium-high heat. Add 1/2 of the chicken pieces, spreading them out in the pan so they are not crowded. Brown for a few minutes on each side. When the chicken pieces are cooked through, and no pink remains, remove the chicken pieces from the pan, add to the bowl with the onions. Cook the second batch of chicken pieces the same way. Remove them from pan and add to the bowl with the onions.
Add the coconut milk, minus a couple tablespoons, to the skillet. In a small bowl, mix the remaining coconut milk with the corn starch to dissolve the corn starch. Add the corn starch mixture back into the skillet with the coconut milk. Cook over medium heat and stir until thick and bubbly. Mix in the Worcestershire sauce. Add the chicken mixture, basil, and ginger. Cook for 2 minutes more to cook through.
Serve the curry over hot rice.
Yields 4 servings.
Recipe from www.elise.com.