Chicken Curry in a Hurry

I love rotisserie chicken because of its versatility.  With leftovers, I make quesadillas, a variety of chicken salads and use it in panini. Today those options weren’t so interesting so I googled “chicken curry using rotisserie chicken.”  There are hundreds of recipes for chicken curry in a hurry.  Who knew?  I found a few recipes that seemed ok but nothing wowed me.  I turned to old reliable, One Pot of the Day cookbook (by Williams-Sonoma) and looked up Thai Green Chicken Curry with Asparagus (referred to me yet again by my girlfriend).  The Williams-Sonoma recipe calls for fresh boneless chicken breasts but I subbed in leftover rotisserie chicken breasts.

I dug through my fridge and pantry and shockingly happened to have all of the ingredients (minus Thai basil):

You can substitute or add in any fresh vegetables – cauliflower, mushrooms, green beans or use leftover turkey (a great use for Thanksgiving leftovers), fresh shrimp or tofu.  You can sub in red or yellow curry paste.  None of that really matters because what makes this dish delicious and amazing is the preparation of the vegetables and the elements of the curry sauce.  The vegetables are sautéed with ginger and garlic, adding great aromatic flavors. The sauce combines the curry paste with creamy coconut milk, broth and fish sauce, creating a decadent but light tasting sauce.

Keep in mind that the quality and type of the curry paste make a significant impact on the flavor and heat profile of this dish.  I love Maesi brand curry pastes – their pastes are delicious and one of the best out there.  I used three tablespoons of Maesi green curry paste and will warn that it is quite spicy, as in H-O-T.  If you don’t have a high tolerance for heat, either use less paste or turn to a red or yellow curry paste which tends to carry less heat (Thai brand can be found in most grocery stores).

Whichever vegetables or protein or curry paste you choose to include, you will not be disappointed with this quick and truly delicious dish.

Chicken Curry in a Hurry (adapted from Thai Green Chicken Curry with Aparagus in One Pot of the Day by Williams-Sonoma)

Serves 4-6; 15 minutes prep time; 10-15 minutes cook time

Ingredients:

• One bunch of asparagus, trimmed and cut into 2-3 inch pieces.

• 1 to 2 tablespoons canola oil
• 1/2 large or 1 whole medium yellow onion, cut into wedges
• 1 red bell pepper, seeded and julienned

• 1 1/2 to 2 tablespoons freshly grated ginger
• 2 cloves garlic, minced

• 1 can/container unsweetened light coconut milk (11 to 14 oz)
• 2 to 3 tablespoons Thai green curry paste
• 1 cup chicken broth
• 2 tablespoons Asian fish sauce

• 4 loose cups breast meat from one rotisserie chicken, pulled by hand into large-sized pieces (*see Note below if you prefer to use fresh, raw chicken)

• 1 handful spinach leaves, optional
• Thai or regular basil leaves, optional

• Lime wedges
• Prepared rice (white or brown)

Cooking Directions:

1. Prepare the asparagus:  Bring a medium saucepan of water to a boil and blanch asparagus for 2 minutes.  Drain and rinse with cold water.  Set aside.
2. Prepare the onion & bell pepper:  In a large frying pan/wok, heat the oil over medium-high heat.  Add the onion and bell pepper and sauté until just softened, 3 minutes.  Add the ginger and garlic and sauté for 30 seconds.  Transfer the vegetables to a plate.
3. Prepare the curry sauce:  Return the frying pan/wok to medium-high heat.  Add coconut milk, curry paste, chicken stock and fish sauce and gently stir/whisk the ingredients together.  Add the chicken to the sauce, bring to a boil and simmer over low heat for 3 to 5 minutes.
4. Finish preparing the dish:  Add the onion/bell pepper mixture and the asparagus to the pan and continue to simmer for 2 to 3 minutes.
   
5. Serve:  Place a handful of baby spinach (optional) in each bowl, ladle the chicken curry over the spinach.  Serve with lime wedges and a side of rice.

*NOTE: If you plan to use fresh (raw) chicken breast:  slice 3-4 skinless, boneless chicken breast halves into tenderloin-sized pieces.  After you have combined the sauce ingredients together in Step 3 above, bring the sauce to a boil, add the chicken breasts and simmer the chicken in the sauce over low-medium heat for 7-8 minutes.  Continue to Step 4.