Food Friday – Chicken in Curry and Coconut Sauce

The glorious and somewhat excessive heat we have been experiencing here in Boston broke temporarily this week, with temps tumbling into the 60’s and rain pouring down. With the cooler air, our appetites returned a bit, as no-one seemed to be too hungry when it was so hot.

My son, who has been doing the cooking this summer, took advantage of the cooler kitchen to add a new dish to his repertoire: Chicken in Curry and Coconut Sauce. With only 6 ingredients and a prep time of about 10 minutes, it was really easy (especially for me, as he did the cooking!) and an instant hit with the family.

The recipe was adapted from a lovely cookbook entitled: French Cuisine for the Young and Broke, by Eleonor Picciotto. Having grown up in France, Ms. Picciotto enjoyed cooking for friends in her tiny kitchen when she was an undergrad at Boston University. She was inspired to write this cookbook of easy, healthy and inexpensive recipes to show her classmates an alternative to a steady diet of take-out food: she provides proof that there is no need for a lot of ingredients, a fancy kitchen or a big budget to   eat great food!

Chicken in Curry and Coconut Sauce

½ medium onion

2 garlic cloves

3-4 chicken breasts, cut into 1-2 inch cubes

I cup canned coconut milk

3 TBSP curry powder

a pinch of salt and pepper

Chop the onion and garlic very fine and put in a sauté pan on high heat. Add the chicken breasts with 2 TBSP of coconut milk.

When the chicken starts to be cooked, pour in the rest of the coconut milk and the curry powder. Add salt and pepper.

Stir gently until the sauce is evenly yellow.

Check that the chicken in thoroughly cooked and not pink in the middle.

We ate it served over white rice (or steamed broccoli for the Paleos), with bowls of chopped cilantro, chopped onion, chopped mango and dried coconut on the table  to garnish the curry to our own taste… that’s the fun part! Chopped banana, oranges, nuts, mango or raisins are good garnishes too.