this recipe was my first foray into the intimidating world of curry. i've eaten it a lot - san francisco has some of the best hole-in-the-wall curry spots ever, one of them blissfully behind one of my work buildings - but i had never been brave enough to attempt it myself.
enter: this recipe from half baked harvest. if you haven't checked out her blog - please do yourself a favor and do so. she is an amazing home cook and not to mention, started cooking at the ripe age of 15 for her entire family. she's one of my all time favorite food blogs and this recipe absolutely inspired me to challenge myself more in the kitchen.
okay, onto the recipe. i adapted it to my tastes - for example, i am NOT a fan of ginger for whatever reason, so i omitted it anywhere and everywhere from the original recipe. I also did not include the mango salsa, just because I was lazy and didn't have those ingredients on hand, but i'm sure it's divine if you'd like to try it!
basil chicken curry
ingredients | serves 4
basil coconut lime rice
- 1 (14oz) can light coconut milk
- 1 cup jasmine or basmati rice
- 2 tbsp fresh basil, chopped
- 1 lime, juiced
chicken curry
- 1 lb boneless, skinless chicken breast, diced
- 2 bell peppers, chopped
- 1 zucchini, chopped
- 1 cup corn
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 2 tbsp red curry paste
- 1 tbsp curry powder
- 1 (14oz) can light coconut milk
- 1/2 tbsp fish sauce
- 1/2 cup fresh basil, chopped
- fresh naan, for serving
instructions
- add coconut milk to a saucepan and bring to a low boil. add rice and salt and turn the heat all the way to low. place the lid on and keep it on for a solid 20 minutes. after 20 minutes, stir and continue to cook if needed. after the rice is fully cooked, stir in the lime juice and chopped basil and keep warm.
- add olive oil to a large skillet and heat over medium heat. sauté diced chicken with salt and pepper for about 5-10 minutes until cooked through.
- add more olive oil to the pan and incorporate all of the veggies for another 5 minutes, until soft and browned.
- add curry powder and curry paste to the pan and stir to incorporate, about 1 minute.
- add coconut milk and fish sauce to the pan and bring to a light simmer. stir until the sauce thickens slightly or to your liking.
- turn off the heat and add freshly chopped basil.
- serve on top of coconut lime basil rice with a side of fresh, warm naan.
if reading through that ingredient list and instructions didn't make you hungry, i'm not sure what would! for beginners, this is a perfect recipe for a simple, super flavorful, and satisfying curry that makes you feel like you just got takeout.
hope you love it!
xoxo, #chefhaley