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One-Pot Chicken and Cauliflower Rice with Almond Coconut Curry Sauce

Chicken and Rice with Peanut Coconut Curry Sauce

Servings 4
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 35 minutes

Equipment

  • Dutch oven

Ingredients

Chicken and Rice

  • 1 tablespoon olive or coconut oil
  • 1 medium yellow onion finely diced
  • 10 garlic cloves grated
  • 2- inch piece of fresh ginger peeled and grated
  • 2 cups white jasmine or other rice, rinsed
  • 1 cup coconut milk from a 15 ounce can of coconut milk
  • 2 1/2 cups water
  • 1 tablespoon sugar
  • Kosher salt
  • 2 pounds boneless skinless chicken thighs
  • Black pepper
  • 1/4 cup finely chopped cilantro
  • 3 scallions thinly sliced

Peanut Coconut Curry Sauce

  • 1 tablespoon olive or coconut oil
  • 1 heaping tablespoon red curry paste
  • 1/2 can coconut milk
  • 1 heaping tablespoon peanut butter chunky or smooth both work
  • 1 tablespoon soy sauce
  • 2 teaspoons fish sauce

Instructions

  • Warm 1 tablespoon oil in a large, wide pot over medium heat. Add 1 diced onion, 10 grated garlic cloves, and a 2-inch piece of ginger, grated to the pot and cook until translucent and tender, about 4 minutes. Stir in 2 cups white rice for 1 minute. Stir in 1 cup coconut milk (if there’s a hard layer on top of the can, scoop half of it into the pot and keep the other half in the can), 2 1/2 cups water, 1 tablespoon sugar, and 1 teaspoon kosher salt.
  • Season 2 pounds of chicken thighs generously with salt and pepper and lay the chicken thighs over the rice. Overlap them slightly if needed to fit all of the chicken into the pot.
  • Bring the liquid to a simmer, then reduce to low heat and cover the pot. Cook for 20 to 25 minutes, until the rice is tender and the chicken is cooked through. Remove pot from heat and leave covered for an additional 10 minutes to allow the rice to steam.
  • While the chicken and rice are cooking, make the Peanut Coconut Curry Sauce.
  • Warm 1 tablespoon olive oil in a small pot over medium heat. Stir in 1 tablespoon red curry paste until very fragrant and beginning to stick to the bottom of the pot, about 1 minute. Stir in 1/2 can (the remaining) coconut milk, 1 heaping tablespoon of peanut butter, 1 tablespoon soy sauce and 2 teaspoons fish sauce. Simmer until very thick, like heavy cream or a thin yogurt, about 5 minutes. Remove from heat and allow to cool.
  • Scatter 1/4 cup chopped cilantro and 3 sliced scallions over top of the chicken and rice. Serve with peanut sauce.

Notes

Notes:

Don’t have a wide-bottomed pot? Use a large skillet and cover it with a baking sheet!
Onion: shallots, leeks, red onion - anything goes!
Garlic cloves: 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder.
Fresh ginger: 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger.
Coconut milk: coconut cream will also do the trick, but use 4 cups of water.
Sugar: omit if you don’t want to add sugar!
Boneless, skinless chicken thighs: you can use chicken breasts, but add them to the pot after you’ve already been cooking the rice for 10 minutes, cooking the chicken for just 15 minutes.
Cilantro and scallions: use just one, or basil, or chives!
Red curry paste: no paste? Use 1 tablespoon curry powder. I still want you to saute it in oil to bloom the spices, but you don’t have to do it for quite as long.
Peanut butter: any nut butter!
Soy sauce: tamari, coconut aminos, etc. all work!
Fish sauce: you can omit it, but it’s GOOOOD!
Course: Main Course