Coconut Chicken Curry with Potatoes

• servings: 4 servings
• total time: 40 minutes

Ingredients

3 tablespoons grapeseed or other neutral oil

2 medium shallots, chopped

1 tablespoon minced fresh ginger

2 teaspoons curry powder

2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken thighs, trimmed and cut into 1½-inch pieces

8 ounces Yukon Gold potatoes, unpeeled, cut into 1-inch pieces

3 tablespoons fish sauce

 Kosher salt and ground black pepper

1 14-ounce can coconut milk

1 tablespoon grated lime zest, plus 1 tablespoon lime juice

⠓ cup roughly chopped fresh cilantro

Directions

In a large saucepan over medium, heat the oil until shimmering. Add the shallots and ginger; cook, stirring often, until lightly browned, 3 to 5 minutes. Add the curry powder and cook, stirring, until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add the chicken, potatoes, fish sauce and ½ teaspoon pepper; scrape up any browned bits.

Stir in the coconut milk and 1 cup water. Bring to a simmer over medium-high, then cover partially, reduce to medium and cook, stirring occasionally, until a skewer inserted into the potatoes and chicken meets no resistance, about 30 minutes; the curry will be only lightly thickened. Off heat, stir in the lime zest, juice and cilantro, then taste and season with salt and pepper.

Notes

This weeknight-easy curry gets lots of umami from fish sauce, richness from coconut milk and brightness from fresh ginger plus lime zest and juice. We lean on curry powder to deliver layers of spicing along with a warm, golden hue. The finished curry is brothy, only lightly thickened, and not at all heavy. Be sure to use regular coconut milk, not “light” versions, as it would result in watery flavor and consistency. Prep the lime zest and juice and the cilantro while the curry simmers. Serve with steamed jasmine rice alongside.

TIP

Don’t fully cover the pot during simmering. Leave the lid ajar to allow for some evaporation to help concentrate both the flavor and consistency of the broth. Also, adjust the burner as needed to maintain even bubbling for the duration of simmering.