A Coconut-Curry Dream
Coconut-Curry Dream is a fragrant, flavorful dish that brings together the rich creaminess of coconut milk and the warm, complex flavors of curry. This dish offers a perfect balance of heat, spice, and a slightly sweet, nutty undertone, making it both comforting and exciting. It's versatile enough to be made with chicken, vegetables, or even seafood, and is perfect for a cozy meal on a cool evening or an impressive dish for guests.
Ingredients
- 4 tbsp oil
- 2 ½ cups chopped onion
- 1 red bell pepper sliced
- 1 jalapeno chopped
- 2 ½ tsp kosher salt divided use
- 2 tbsp minced garlic
- 3 tbsp curry powder
- ½ tsp turmeric powder
- ½ tsp cayenne pepper
- 1 14 oz can coconut milk
- 1 ¾ lb boneless skinless chicken breast cut in 1" cubes
- ¼ cup plain yogurt or cream or more coconut milk
Instructions
- Heat oil in a large skillet or dutch oven over medium-high heat.
- Add onion, bell pepper, jalapeno, and 1 tsp salt. Cook until very soft, about 15 minutes, stirring frequently.
- While that cooks, sprinkle chicken evenly with remaining 1 ½ tsp salt and let stand.
- Add garlic, curry powder, turmeric and cayenne to softened onion mixture; cook 3 minutes more, stirring often, until mixture turns a shade darker and smells fragrant.
- Add coconut milk along with 3/4 tsp more salt.
- Bring to a boil then reduce heat to low and simmer the sauce uncovered for 2 minutes.
- At this point you can puree the sauce using an immersion blender (or carefully in a regular blender), or just leave it as is.
- Add chicken to sauce and simmer, uncovered, for 10-12 minutes until chicken is cooked through (it should be 165ºF internal temperature).
- Stir in yogurt and serve.
Notes
Pre-salting the chicken ensures it is properly seasoned and never bland, even with the quick cooking time of this curry.
It’s important to simmer the chicken uncovered because, even though the sauce looks thick, it will release a lot of moisture. If you simmer the curry covered, it will make a more watery sauce with less concentrated flavor.
If you don’t like bell peppers, replace with ½ cup finely chopped green onions. Trust me, it adds a similar pop of vibrant flavor and just works! Don’t swap in tomato.