Lemongrass Coconut Chicken Curry

Ingredients

• 🍗Chicken Breast, boneless, skin removed1
• 🥫Coconut Milk (canned)1 can
• 🌿Lemongrass, tough outer layer removed, tender inner part finely sliced2 stalk
• 🧄Garlic, minced4 clove
• 🫚Ginger (ground)1 tsp
• 🫙Red Curry Paste2 tbsp
• 🥢Fish Sauce1 tbsp
• 🍋Lime, zested and juiced1 fruit
• 🫑Red Bell Pepper, thinly sliced1
• 🥬Baby Spinach2 cup
• 🍚Jasmine Rice, cooked, for serving1 cup
• 🧅Scallions, thinly sliced2 stalk
• 🌿Cilantro, chopped2 tbsp

Contains Coconut, Fish, Garlic, Onion, Shellfish, Soy. AI-generated, checked against common allergens; always check labels.

Method

1. 1

   Trim the chicken

   Trim away any sinew from the Chicken Breast and cut it into thin bite-size slices across the grain. Keep the pieces roughly even so they sear at the same pace; if one end is thicker, fan it out on the board and slice it a little finer so nothing stays pale and stubborn in the curry.

   4 min
2. 2

   Peel away the tough outer layers from the Lemongrass.

3. 3

   Bruise the stalks with the flat of your knife before slicing the tender inner part very thinly. Mince the Garlic Clove and set it beside the lemongrass; when both are finely broken down, the curry base will smell bright and pungent instead of woody or harsh.

   5 min
4. 4

   Mix the curry base

   Stir the Ginger (ground), Red Curry Paste, and Fish Sauce together in a small mixing bowl until they form a thick, glossy paste. Work it with the spoon until the paste darkens slightly and smells rounded rather than sharp; if it looks dry and clumpy, fold once more so it loosens before it hits the heat.

   2 min
5. 5

   Slice the pepper

   Slice the Red Bell Pepper into thin strips so it softens quickly but still keeps a little bite in the curry. Aim for long, even slices; if you cut them too chunky, they stay crunchy after the sauce thickens and throw off the texture of the bowl.

   3 min
6. 6

   Use a fine grater to lift the bright outer skin from the Lime.

7. 7

   Roll and halve it so the juice flows easily when you squeeze it. Stop as soon as you reach the white pith; if the zest looks wet and pale, you have gone too deep and lost the fragrant top notes the curry needs.

   3 min
8. 8

   Slice the scallions

   Trim the roots from the Scallions and slice them thinly on a slight angle so they curl lightly on the plate. Keep the pale bottoms and green tops together; the whites mellow into the curry while the greens stay fresh and sharp at the end.

   2 min
9. 9

   Set a large skillet over medium-high heat and add the Chicken Breast in a single layer so the pieces sit flat against the base. Leave them undisturbed for about 3 minutes until the edges turn opaque and take on pale golden spots.

   4 min
10. 10

    Give them a quick stir; if they stick hard, let them go another moment so a crust can form and release cleanly.

11. 11

    Fry the aromatics

    Lower the heat to medium and add the Lemongrass and Garlic Clove to the same skillet, stirring constantly so they move in the hot fat and do not catch. Cook for about 90 seconds until the garlic smells sweet and the lemongrass turns glossy and fragrant; if the garlic starts to darken at the edges, pull the skillet off the heat for a moment and keep stirring.

    2 min
12. 12

    Bloom the paste

    Add the curry paste mixture to the skillet and stir it through the aromatics, pressing it against the hot base so it fries evenly. Let it cook for about 60 seconds until the colour deepens and the smell turns round, savoury, and a little toasted; if it starts to look dry, a splash of the coconut milk in the next step will loosen it safely.

    1 min
13. 13

    Pour in the Coconut Milk (canned) slowly while stirring.

14. 14

    Bring the skillet up to a gentle simmer over medium heat. Add the Red Bell Pepper and let everything bubble for about 8 minutes until the sauce turns silky and slightly reduced, with small lazy bubbles around the edge rather than a hard boil; if it seizes at first, keep stirring and it will smooth out as the coconut melts into the paste.

    8 min
15. 15

    Return the browned chicken and any juices to the skillet.

16. 16

    Simmer over medium-low heat until the slices are opaque through and the sauce clings to them, about 4 minutes. Stir gently so the pieces stay tender; when a slice feels springy but not firm and the curry smells sweetly coconutty, you are at the right point and can move on.

    4 min
17. 17

    Wilt the spinach

    Scatter the Baby Spinach over the top and fold it in with a few slow turns of the spoon so it sinks into the hot sauce. Cook for about 1 minute until the leaves collapse into deep green ribbons and the curry smells fresh again; if the pan is overloaded, add the spinach in two handfuls so it wilts evenly instead of clumping.

    1 min
18. 18

    Finish with lime

    Take the skillet off the heat and stir in the Lime zest and juice so the brightness lands on top of the coconut rather than cooking away. Give it about 30 seconds of gentle folding until the aroma turns sharp and floral and the sauce tastes lifted; if it seems too lively, let it sit for a minute and the edge will soften.

    1 min
19. 19

    Plate and top

    Spoon the Jasmine Rice into a bowl, ladle the curry over it, and finish with the Scallions and Cilantro so the herbs stay fresh and vivid on top. Serve right away while the sauce is glossy and the rice is still fluffy underneath; if the curry sits too long before plating, give it one last stir so the coconut does not settle at the edges.

    2 min

Nutrition per serving