Description
A quick, comforting, and creamy coconut chicken rice bowl that balances sweet, savory, and spicy flavors. This easy weeknight meal is ready in under 30 minutes and uses simple pantry ingredients.
Ingredients
Scale
- 1 cup jasmine rice
- 1.5 cups water
- 2 chicken breasts or thighs, boneless and skinless, cut into bite-sized pieces
- Salt and pepper, for seasoning
- 1 tablespoon oil (for searing)
- 1 clove garlic, minced
- 1 teaspoon ginger, grated
- 1 tablespoon red curry paste
- 1 can (13.5 oz) full-fat coconut milk
- 1 tablespoon fish sauce
- 1 teaspoon brown sugar
- 1 cup chopped vegetables (bell peppers, snap peas, or baby corn)
- Juice of half a lime
- Fresh cilantro, chopped, for garnish
Instructions
- Rinse 1 cup of jasmine rice under cold water until clear. Combine with 1.5 cups water in a saucepan, bring to a boil, then reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer for 15 minutes. Remove from heat and let sit covered for 10 minutes before fluffing with a fork.
- While rice cooks, cut chicken into bite-sized pieces and pat dry. Season lightly with salt and pepper.
- Heat 1 tablespoon of oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Sear chicken in a single layer for 3-4 minutes until golden brown, flip, and cook for another 2-3 minutes until cooked through. Remove chicken and set aside.
- In the same pan, add a little more oil if needed. Sauté minced garlic and grated ginger for 30 seconds until fragrant.
- Stir in red curry paste and cook for 1 minute, stirring constantly, to bloom the spices.
- Pour in coconut milk and whisk to combine with the paste. Add fish sauce and brown sugar, stirring until sugar dissolves. Bring to a gentle simmer.
- Return chicken to the pan and add chopped vegetables. Simmer for 5-7 minutes until chicken is tender and vegetables are crisp-tender.
- Remove from heat and stir in lime juice. Taste and adjust seasoning. Serve over fluffy jasmine rice and garnish with fresh cilantro.
Notes
Use full-fat coconut milk for the richest sauce. Do not add lime juice while the sauce is boiling to prevent curdling. If the sauce is too thin, simmer longer; if too thick, add a splash of water. For a vegetarian version, swap chicken for tofu or chickpeas.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 15 minutes
- Category: Main Course
- Cuisine: Thai
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cup rice topped wi
- Calories: 550
- Sugar: 6
- Sodium: 800
- Fat: 28
- Saturated Fat: 20
- Carbohydrates: 45
- Fiber: 3
- Protein: 30
Keywords: coconut chicken, rice bowl, thai food, easy dinner, weeknight meal, creamy curry, gluten-free, dairy-free