Recipe: Thai Chicken

Gosh, it's been a while since I posted a new recipe!

I don't know how authentically Thai this recipe actually is--my mom made it when I was a kid and called it Thai chicken, so Thai chicken I call it.

Mr. Scrimp and I are both big fans of it, I can tell you that much. It's hot and spicy and will warm you up on a chilly fall day.


Ingredients (serves 4-6)

• 1 can coconut milk or light coconut milk (2 cans if you like curry with a lot of extra sauce)
• 2 chicken breasts or 4 chicken thighs, de-boned and chopped, or an equivalent amount of pressed and chopped tofu
• 1 small can green chillies
•  2/3 jar Thai Kitchen green curry paste
• Frozen green peas, to taste
• 1/2 onion, diced
• 2 tablespoons peanut oil (can substitute canola oil, vegetable oil, or clarified butter)
• 2-4 cups of uncooked white rice 
• Salt, to taste 
• Peanuts

Put a heavy-bottomed pot (I use my cast iron dutch oven) on medium-low heat. Add oil and heat for 1-2 minutes. Add onions and saute, stirring frequently to keep from sticking or burning.

While onions are cooking, put rice in rice cooker or stovetop pot and follow directions for cooking.

When onions begin to caramelize, add chicken or tofu and sear briefly on all sides.

Add coconut milk, chillies, and green curry paste. Stir well to incorporate paste into coconut milk. (Note: If you do not want spicy curry, reduce the amount of chillies or remove them completely from the recipe).

Bring curry mixture to a low boil and then turn to a simmer while rice is cooking, stirring occasionally to keep from sticking or burning. If coconut milk boils down too much and there is very little liquid left, add broth, water or more coconut milk, depending on what you have on hand.

When rice is done cooking, add  the green peas to the curry and stir, breaking up any frozen clumps (you can, of course, also use fresh). Cook just long enough to thaw but not so long that they begin to get mushy.

Add rice to curry and stir gently (to keep from breaking tofu or chicken pieces apart) until all ingredients are combined.  Salt to taste.

Serve with whole or chopped peanuts as desired.