Green Coconut Chicken

While there is a nice dose of red curry powder in the braise, it's certainly not the dominant flavor. For something that might seem exotic and boldly-spiced, this a surprisingly mellow dish.

• Preparation Time: 25 mins
• Cooking Time: 1 hr 25 mins
• Total Time: 1 hr 50 mins
• Calories: 715 Calories

Ingredients

• 1 tablespoon brown sugar
• salt to taste
• 1 (14 ounce) can coconut milk
• salt and ground black pepper to taste
• 1 onion, sliced
• 1 ¾ cups water
• 2 tablespoons lime juice
• 6 cloves garlic, peeled
• 1 bunch cilantro
• vegetable oil
• 2 tablespoons fish sauce
• 1 tablespoon red curry powder
• 6 slices fresh ginger
• 1 bunch fresh Thai basil leaves, torn
• 3 fresh jalapeno peppers, seeded and chopped
• 4 whole chicken legs
• ½ bunch green onions, white and light green parts only, chopped
• 2 cups 1-inch sweet potato chunks
• 1 ½ cups 1-inch eggplant chunks

Recipe Instructions

Step 1

Season chicken legs with salt on all sides.

Step 2

Heat 1 tablespoon vegetable oil in skillet over medium heat; place chicken legs in the pan and cook until golden brown on each side, about 4 minutes per side. Remove chicken from skillet and set aside.

Step 3

Place coconut milk, water, garlic, jalapeno peppers, cilantro, and green onion into a blender. Cover and puree until smooth. Set aside.

Step 4

Heat 1 tablespoon vegetable oil in a Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Stir in sliced onion and ginger; cook until sizzling, 1 to 2 minutes.

Step 5

Sprinkle red curry powder over onions and ginger; cook, stirring constantly, until fragrant and lightly toasted, about 1 minute.

Step 6

Place chicken legs in a single layer on top of onions and ginger. Pour pureed coconut mixture, lime juice, fish sauce, and brown sugar over the chicken.

Step 7

Bring mixture to a boil and reduce heat to low. Cover and simmer, skimming off any fat, until chicken legs are tender, about 45 minutes. Remove chicken from the Dutch oven.

Step 8

Stir potatoes into coconut milk mixture, increase heat to medium-high and bring to a boil. Stir in eggplant; cook until potatoes and eggplant are tender, about 20 minutes.

Step 9

Stir basil into coconut milk mixture; season with salt and pepper to taste.

Step 10

Return chicken to coconut milk mixture; reduce heat to medium-low and simmer until chicken is heated through, about 5 minutes.