Slow cooker meal- Chicken and Coconut Curry

This is a 4 hour meal in the slow cooker.  I am usually not a fan of curry but this is a mild Thai chili sauce.  I think you will love it.  I do.

Chicken and coconut curry

 Chicken and Coconut Curry

Ingredients:

chicken thighs, skin on, bone in 5 lbs
1/2 red onion
6 cloves garlic
1 TBS Thai red curry paste
grated zest and juice of 2 limes
1 TBS plus 1 tsp Asian fish sauce
salt and pepper
2 Tbs plus 2 tsp canola oil (or any high smoke oil -avocado, grape seed)
1 cup chicken stock
1 3/4 cup coconut milk - that's one 14 oz. can
1/2 pound green beans, trimmed and coarsely chopped
1 small red bell pepper, seeded and cut into matchsticks
1/2 tsp Asian sesame oil
1/2 cup chopped Thai basil (or mint)

steamed Jasmine rice for serving
1/4 cup unsweetened shredded dried coconut, toasted

sauce mis en place

This is another recipe taken from The New Slow Cooker.  Again it's a perfect combination of the rich flavors of food cooked for long hours on low heat finished with fresh vegetables -green beans- and topped with even more freshness of the quick cooked pepper and Thai basil with another topping of crunchy toasted coconut.  You can warm this meal up for left overs but still have the toppings separate to add that freshness and crunch.

Method:

In a food processor (my 4 cup mini was big enough) combine the onion, garlic, curry paste, the lime zest and juice, the 1 TBS fish sauce, 1/4 tsp salt, and several grinds of pepper.  Pulse until a chunky puree forms.  Set aside.

chili sauce

Pat the chicken thighs dry.  Season with salt and pepper.  In a large, heat frying pan over medium-high heat, warm the 2 tbs canola oil.  When the oil is hot, working in batches, add the chicken and sear, turning once, until golden brown on both sides, about 8 minutes total.  Transfer the chicken to a slow cooker.

seared chicken thighs

Reduce the heat to medium, add the curry mixture, and sauce, stirring often, until fragrant, about 4 minutes.  Whisk in the stock and coconut milk and then bring to a simmer. 

such a pretty sauce

Transfer to the slow cooker.  Cover and cook on the LOW setting for 4 hours.  Chicken should be tender.

Using a slotted spoon transfer the chicken pieces to a plate.  Remove the meat from the bones, and discard the bones and skin.  Shred the meat.  Return the chicken meat to the slow cooker.

Meanwhile steam the green beans for 3-4 minutes and blanch in ice water.  Stir the beans into the slow cooker, recover and warm about 5 minutes.

In a frying pan over medium-high heat, warm the remaining 2 tsp canola oil.  Add the red pepper and stir and toss until glossy and beginning to wilt, 1-2 minutes.  Remove from the heat, add the remaining 1 tsp fish sauce, the sesame oil, and the basil and toss to mix well.

pepper and Thai basil

Spoon the rice into warm shallow bowl and top with the curry.  Garnish with the red pepper mixture and toasted coconut and serve at once.

A note about limes and lime juice:

My cousin, Laurie, has a bounty of limes this year in her yard at the beach.  After my visit with the goats I was lucky enough to bring home a big bag of them.  They were the inspiration for choosing this recipe.  They also inspired me to make a tart with lime curd.  If you love lemon curd (who doesn't?) you'll also love lime curd.  I have posted these recipes before so look for the subject on the right column or in the search at the top of the page.  Or follow the link

There are certain cook's tools that just make cooking easier---and more fun.  If you use a lot of limes for juice - Margaritas- lime sorbet- lime curd- then getting one of these juicers is a must

limes and fabulous W-S lime juicer

I can't help it.  Williams-Sonoma just has fabulous utensils for the home chef.  This one is green because it is for limes.  You might figure out that the lemon juicer is yellow and yes there is an orange one too.  Eventhough my Denver Granddaughters say I have everything there is to have in my kitchen I don't have a toaster or a toaster oven.  I don't even have a microwave.  I don't have a coffee maker although I could recommend a good one and I don't have a hand mixer.  But other than these items that most cooks have I do pretty much have everything.....and I LOVE it....especially my slow cooker.