Updated 2020
This is a simple, easy to make meal. All in, it took me about 30 minutes to pull together. Not spicy, but the right amount of Thai flavoring. This will be a new "go to" meal for us.
---Tom
Thai Chicken and Rice
(Cooking Light)
Serves 4
1-2 tablespoons olive or canola oil
1 sweet onion, cut into 1/4" wedges
1 can coconut milk (14.5 ounces)
1 Tablespoon red curry paste
1/8 teaspoon black pepper
1 - 1.5 lbs. boneless chicken thighs or breasts, cut into bite-size pieces
3 tablespoons chopped cilantro
1 tablespoon fish sauce
1 16.2 ounce jar roasted red bell peppers, drained and coarsely chopped
salt to taste
1 cup uncooked basmati or jasmine rice, prepared per the directions on the package
Slice up the onions into small wedges. These will break apart when you sauté them.
Trim the excess fat from the boneless chicken thighs, and cut into bite sized pieces.
On a separate cutting board, drain the roasted red peppers and coarsely chop them. Coarsely chop the cilantro as well. It is important to not use the same cutting board that you chopped the chicken on for food safety reasons.
Heat the oil over medium-high heat in a large skillet. Meanwhile start the rice, which will be the base that the Thai-style chicken will be served on. Sauté the onions until they start to turn golden in color. This requires that you stir them often so that they do not burn. This will take about 7-10 minutes.
Now add the coconut milk, curry paste and the black pepper. Stir this up and bring to a near boil.
Now add the chicken and stir into the mixture. Make sure all of the chicken is covered. Bring the mixture to a simmer and cook for about 8-10 minutes or until the chicken is thoroughly cooked through, opaque and no pink showing.
Finally add the roasted red peppers, the fish sauce and the cilantro and cook for another minute or two. At the end of this step, taste to determine if it needs some salt. I added about a quarter teaspoon of salt to my concoction.
Put the rice into the bottom of a large bowl or pasta dish, and ladle the Thai-style chicken mélange over the rice. Be sure to add some of the liquid to the bowl for added taste.
---Tom
