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Spiced Coconut Basil Chicken


  • Author: anna
  • Total Time: 60 minutes
  • Yield: 4 servings 1x
  • Diet: Gluten-Free

Description

A quick weeknight curry that balances creamy coconut milk with toasted spices and fresh basil.


Ingredients

Scale
  • 800 g (1.752 lb) boneless, skinless chicken thighs
  • 1 can (400 ml / 13.5 fl oz) full-fat coconut milk
  • 2 tbsp (30 ml) neutral oil (canola, vegetable, or light olive oil)
  • 1 medium onion, 150 g (1 cup) finely diced
  • 3 cloves garlic, 9–12 g (about 1 tbsp) finely grated
  • 1 tbsp (15 g) fresh ginger, finely grated
  • 2 tbsp (15 g) toasted curry spice blend (see below)
  • 1 tbsp (15 ml) fish sauce
  • 1 tbsp (12 g) light brown sugar or palm sugar
  • 1 small red chili or 1/21 tsp crushed red pepper flakes
  • Zest and juice of 1 lime
  • 30 g (1 cup loosely packed) fresh basil leaves
  • Salt to taste
  • Cooked jasmine rice or brown rice, for serving

Instructions

  1. Trim and cut the chicken into 3 cm pieces. Pat dry and marinate with spice blend and salt for 30 minutes.
  2. Toast the ground spices in a dry skillet over medium heat for 30–60 seconds until fragrant.
  3. Heat the oil in a skillet over medium-high heat and brown the chicken in batches.
  4. Reduce heat and sauté the onion until translucent; add garlic and ginger and cook briefly.
  5. Return the chicken to the pan, add the toasted spices, coconut milk, fish sauce, sugar, and chili. Simmer.
  6. Simmer uncovered for 10–12 minutes until chicken is cooked through and sauce thickens.
  7. Stir in lime zest, juice, and torn basil leaves before serving.
  8. Serve over rice and garnish as desired.

Notes

For a vegetarian version, replace chicken with tofu and use tamari instead of fish sauce.

  • Prep Time: 15 minutes
  • Cook Time: 25 minutes
  • Category: Main Course
  • Method: Stovetop
  • Cuisine: Thai

Nutrition

  • Serving Size: 1 serving
  • Calories: 490
  • Sugar: 6g
  • Sodium: 620mg
  • Fat: 34g
  • Saturated Fat: 18g
  • Unsaturated Fat: 10g
  • Trans Fat: 0g
  • Carbohydrates: 10g
  • Fiber: 1.5g
  • Protein: 33g
  • Cholesterol: 95mg