Coconut Chicken Curry

This creamy delicious dish is a great way to satisfy any dairy craving.  It is super easy and will have you going back for seconds (or if you are me, thirds)!!  Feel free to change up the veggies.  I will try adding sliced mushrooms next time I make this. My original experiments with this dish (pre- allergen free diet) contained soy sauce.  I have replaced the soy with fish sauce.  Don’t worry, the strong flavor of the fish sauce works in this dish, and adds the salty element that keeps it balanced.  Hope you enjoy this one as much as we do!

• 2 cans coconut milk (please use regular coconut milk, not light)

• Zest of 1 lime
• Juice of 1 lime
• 4 TBS yellow curry powder (curry powders can vary in taste.  Some have a very heavy clove taste which I am sensitive to.  I suggest adding 2 TBS first, tasting and then adding more if desired).
• 3 TBS packed brown sugar (light or dark will work)
• 2 TBS of fish sauce
• ¼ tsp cinnamon
• Pinch of red pepper flakes
• Pinch of black pepper
• Sea or Kosher salt to taste (I use a large pinch)
• 1 reasonable “squeeze” of Sriracha chili sauce (if you don’t have this, use a few dashes of hot sauce to taste..but you gotta get some of this, it rocks!)
• 1 small sweet onion (please support your local Southerner and use a Vidalia onion), sliced
• 10 or so miniature potatoes , halved or quartered depending upon size (you can use regular potatoes too, just quarter up)
• 5 or more torn basil leaves
• 3 cloves of whole, crushed garlic cloves (just give it a good wack under your knife)
• 1 large sweet red pepper (or use 5 or so of those mini sweet peppers) sliced
• 1.5 lbs of skinless chicken thighs (I used bone in, but will try boneless next time).  There were 4 thighs in the 1.5 lb pack.

In a large saucepan whisk together coconut milk, lime zest, lime juice, curry powder, brown sugar , cinnamon, crushed red pepper, black pepper, fish sauce, and sriracha.  Turn heat on medium high.  Add garlic, potatoes, sweet red pepper, sweet onion and chicken thighs.  Bring to a boil, cover, then reduce heat to a simmer.  Cook for approximately 30 minutes, or until chicken registers at 165 degrees on a meat thermometer and potatoes are tender.  Give it a taste, and add pinch of salt if needed.  Add torn basil leaves and serve over rice.