Chicken Coconut Curry
At once comforting and exotic-tasting, this rich chicken coconut curry stew will warm you on chilly winter evenings. Chunks of potato, lean chicken and loads of veggies make it a meal in a bowl. Enjoy with a fruity white wine like Gewurztraminer or Chenin Blanc to tame the heat. Using “lite” coconut milk instead of full-fat in this healthy curried coconut chicken stew recipe trims roughly two-thirds the fat and calories without sacrificing flavor.
From EatingWell: January/February 2013
Yield: 6 servings, about 1 1/2 cups each
Active Time: 50 minutes
Total Time: 1 hour
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breast, cut into bite-size cubes
- 6 teaspoons curry powder, divided
- 3/4 teaspoon salt, divided
- 2 tablespoons coconut oil or canola oil, divided
- 1 large yellow onion, chopped
- 1 tablespoon chopped garlic
- 1 14-ounce can “lite” coconut milk
- 1 14-ounce can reduced-sodium chicken broth
- 4 cups 1-inch chunks Yukon Gold potatoes (about 3 medium)
- 1 cup sliced carrots
- 1/2 cup chopped celery
- 3/4 cup frozen peas
- 1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
- 1 tablespoon packed brown sugar
Preparation
- Place chicken in a medium bowl. Sprinkle with 1 teaspoon curry powder and 1/4 teaspoon salt; toss to coat. Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add chicken and cook, stirring once or twice, until mostly browned, 6 to 8 minutes. Transfer to a plate.
- Heat the remaining 1 tablespoon oil in the pot and add onion and garlic. Cook, stirring often, until the onion is starting to soften, 2 to 4 minutes. Stir in the remaining 5 teaspoons curry powder and cook, stirring, until fragrant but not browned, 30 seconds to 1 minute. Add coconut milk, broth, potatoes, carrots, celery and the remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt and bring to a boil over high heat, stirring often. Reduce heat to medium-low to maintain a gentle simmer and cook, stirring occasionally, until the potatoes and carrots are tender, 10 to 12 minutes.
- Return the chicken to the pot and add peas. Increase heat to high and continue cooking until the chicken is cooked through, 4 to 5 minutes more. Remove from the heat and stir in cilantro and brown sugar.
Nutrition Per serving:
346 calories; 12 g fat (8 g sat, 1 g mono); 63 mg cholesterol; 31 g carbohydrates; 2 g added sugars; 29 g protein; 5 g fiber; 573 mg sodium; 934 mg potassium.
2 Carbohydrate Serving
Exchanges: 1 1/2 starch, 1 vegetable, 3 1/2 lean meat, 1 fat
