Chicken Curry over Rice

I grew up eating chicken curry and it was always one of my favorite meals my mom cooked.  So when we got married and found this curry recipe in our beloved More-With-Less cookbook, it quickly became a regular in our nightly meal rotation.  I've played with the recipe a little bit over time, including a substitute for the milk since I don't like to use a lot of dairy.  I decided to try it out with coconut milk instead, and it was quite good!  If you don't like coconut though, don't worry, it doesn't turn out tasting like it.  But because coconut milk is thicker and creamier than most other non-dairy milks, it's a great choice for this recipe.  And of course, you can use regular cow's milk if you wish!

Chicken Curry over Rice

adapted from More-With-Less

INGREDIENTS:

1 lb. chicken, boiled and shredded

3 large carrots, sliced

1 onion, diced

1 green pepper, diced

1 cup water

1 Tbsp curry powder

2 tsp sea salt

1½ tsp black pepper

1/2 cup coconut milk or regular milk

2 Tbsp corn starch

DIRECTIONS:

1.  Boil and shred 1 lb. chicken.

2. Saute diced onion and carrot in a few tablespoons of coconut or olive oil.  Add curry powder, sea salt, black pepper, and water.  Cover and let simmer for about 10 minutes, to allow carrots to soften.

3.  Add shredded chicken and diced green pepper and let simmer while you work on the next step.

4. In a bowl, whisk together milk and corn starch until well combined.  Pour mixture into the pan and quickly stir together to avoid clumping of the cornstarch.

5.  Let simmer for another couple minutes, until the green pepper is cooked according to your liking.  I like my green pepper to stay a little crunchy, but Steven likes it softer.  You can decide what works for you!

6.  Serve over brown rice.  I usually cook about 1 1/2 cups dry rice and it is sufficient for us.

SPECIAL NOTES:

1.  Coconut milk can be found in the Asian section of your grocery store or purchased online at Amazon.  The full-fat version is preferable for this recipe because it tastes better and thickens the sauce better.  But know this too - the fat in coconut milk is quite healthy for you!  Due in large part to its medium chain fatty acids, it's been touted to boost your immune system, prevent heart disease, and increase your metabolism.

2.  Use the leftover coconut milk from the recipe for a non-dairy latte or add it to fruit smoothies!  Or use an ice cube tray to freeze, transfer to a ziploc bag or container, and store for later use.