Tip-toeing my way into our earthy fall eats... We sure enjoy our spicy curries and curry dishes, and the varieties out there are endless with the altering blends of spices and herbs. You really have to play around with extra seasoning touches to the final pot to suit your taste. Some curries are more potent than others. I used a milder curry powder here with being out of my island go-to. One thing I love adding to any curry dish is a pinch of cumin as it enhances the curry flavour yielding a more well-rounded bite. This Coconut Chicken Curry is a simple and super-easy every-season-must-have actually, with the varying coconut milk add giving it more warmth and depth. I'll take you along both the traditional and coconut milk add style I do with this recipe. Served with our loved Yukon Gold Baked Potatoes and half of an avocado for some cozy on-the-ranch farmer feels...
'Looking forward to lots of quiet downtime this weekend with some ♫ Amanaska in the mix...
I've always been extremely obsessed with rinsing my chicken— (mostly breast pieces), as that's our go-to favourite so will often get breast pieces over a whole chicken and do my thing with it. I rinse each breast separately under cold running tap water, rub each well with the juices and flesh of half of a lime, rinse with a little vinegar, then a final light rinse of cold water. Pat each piece dry with paper towels and then season (as below).
Ingredients (Serves 4 - 8):
4 large chicken breasts (boneless & skinless)
fine table salt (for seasoning & to taste)
2 tablespoons garlic powder
3 tablespoons curry powder (+ more to taste)
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
2 tablespoons coconut nectar (soy sauce alternate)
4 stalks green onions (minced)
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3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
4 cloves fresh garlic (peeled and crushed)
1 tablespoon fresh (grated) ginger
1 large yellow onion (thinly sliced)
1 can (13.5 oz/400 mL) coconut milk
1 medium green scotch bonnet pepper *
12 fresh spinach leaves (for garnish, optional)
Above... Seasoning the chicken pieces (top to bottom, left to right): 1. Give each breast a few pokes with the tip of a sharp knife, 2. Slice into your choice of serving size pieces and add to a large bowl, 3. Add 2 generous sprinkles of salt, the garlic and curry powders, and toss well with hands 4. Add the cumin, coconut nectar, and green onions. Give a final toss. Set aside to marinate for 30 minutes (or overnight in the refrigerator). Before cooking the next day, allow the seasoned chicken to come to room temp (20 mins.).
In a large (deep-enough) skillet on medium-high heat, warm the oil and crushed garlic together, sautéeing the garlic for 1 minute once hot. Add the grated ginger and sliced onions, lightly sautéeing for another minute.
Continuing on medium-high heat, add the chicken pieces and seasoning in the bowl to the skillet and brown on each side (3 - 4 minutes or so on each side).
Here's where things vary: 1... for the traditional version, simply add a peeled and diced white potato (or 2) to the skillet, then enough room temperature boiled water to cover the chicken, and the whole scotch bonnet pepper *(with a poke or two of a pointed sharp knife/ or seeds removed and finely chopped for pepper lovers). Bring the skillet to a bubble on medium-high heat, flavour to your taste with extra seasoning (more curry too if desired). Reduce to medium heat, cover with a slight vent and continue cooking for the next 30 to 35 minutes. Serve very warm to hot! over white rice.
Or 2... for the coconut milk style (which I did with this recipe), add a can of coconut milk to cover the chicken and the whole scotch bonnet pepper *(with a poke or 2 of a pointed sharp knife/ or seeds removed and finely chopped for pepper lovers). Bring the skillet to a bubble on medium-high heat, flavour to your taste with extra seasoning (more curry too if desired). Reduce to medium heat, cover with a slight vent and continue cooking for the next 30 to 35 minutes. Serve very warm to hot! over white rice (or with baked potatoes as I did here).
Served with loved, hot out of the oven Yukon Gold Baked Potatoes and half of an avocado. Garnish with thinly sliced fresh spinach if desired.
