30-minute Thai chicken with coconut cream and basil
Easy and quick recipe for delicious Thai chicken curry with coconut cream and basil. Best served with fluffy long grain rice!
Servings: 4 servings
Calories: 713kcal
Equipment
- 1 pot
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
- 1.5 pounds skinless and boneless chicken breast, cut in one inch cubes
- 1 small onion, finely chopped
- 2 bay leaves
- ⅓ cup chopped green onions or chives
- ½ cup raw cashews
- 13.6 oz (1 can) coconut cream
- ½ lime, juice and zest
- 1 tablespoon freshly grated ginger
- ¼ cup chopped fresh basil
- 2 tablespoons soy sauce
- 1 tablespoon brown sugar
- ½ teaspoon ground star anise optional
- ½ teaspoon ground cardamom optional
- Salt and black pepper to taste
For the thickener - slurry (optional)
- 1 tablespoon cornstarch
- 3 tablespoons cold water
For Garnish
- Pink peppercorns or extra chives/green onions
Instructions
- Heat a big skillet over high heat and add the oil and the chicken cubes. Let the chicken cubes brown from one side, about 6-7 minutes. Turn them to cook from the other side about 5-6 minutes more, and transfer them in a bowl.
- In the same skillet, add the onion, the bay leaves, the green onions, the cashews and a little extra oil if necessary. Reduce to medium-high heat and cook until the onion is translucent, about 5 minutes.
- In the meantime, make the thickener: in a jug or small bowl, mix the cold water with the cornstarch until dissolved (this step is optional. You should do this if you want the cream on thick side).
- When the onions are soft, add to the pot: the coconut cream, the lime juice and zest, the ginger, the basil, the soy sauce, the brown sugar, the star anise, the cardamom, the salt and the black pepper.Also add the thickener if you want a creamier curry.Stir to combine.
- Add the chicken back to the skillet with the coconut curry and simmer, stirring frequently for 5-10 minutes, or until thickened.
- Serve with long grain rice or noodles. Sprinkle with crashed pink peppercorns or chopped chives.
Notes
Any neutral flavor vegetable oil will work with this recipe. For added flavor you can also coconut oil, sesame oil or olive oil.
Try to use coconut cream and not coconut milk. The coconut cream should be around 20% fat or more for the curry to thicken properly.
Use your favorite type of fresh basil for this recipe. Thai basil, sweet basil, Napoletano basil and Genovese basil are some easy to find types.
Nutrition
Calories: 713kcal | Carbohydrates: 19g | Protein: 44g | Fat: 54g | Saturated Fat: 34g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 6g | Monounsaturated Fat: 8g | Trans Fat: 0.1g | Cholesterol: 109mg | Sodium: 1290mg | Potassium: 1156mg | Fiber: 4g | Sugar: 5g | Vitamin A: 283IU | Vitamin C: 10mg | Calcium: 47mg | Iron: 5mg
