This particular recipe actually came to me in a dream, and yes, you read that correctly. Upon awakening, the details were a bit hazy but nevertheless – I decided to give it go and much to my surprise, the dish was delicious. Brimming with confidence, I served it at a dinner party & it was an instant hit. So there you have it, my Spicy Ground Coconutty Chicken cooked with aromatics, spices and coconut milk. Easy, delicious & literally the “stuff dreams are made of” or at least my dreams ☺.

I opted to use ground chicken for this dish but feel free to use your favorite ground meat for this dish. You could also make this dish using boneless/skinless chicken pieces if you prefer.


SPICY COCONUTTY GROUND CHICKEN

Ingredients:

1 lb ground chicken
1 medium onion, thinly sliced
2 garlic cloves, finely minced
1” piece of fresh ginger, peeled & finely minced
2 medium size tomatoes, finely chopped
2-3 small green Thai chilies, split in half lengthwise (to taste)
1 can of coconut milk (10 ounce size)
½ tsp ground fennel seeds
½ tsp kala/goda masala (or garam masala)
1 tsp ground cumin powder
1 tsp ground coriander powder
1 tsp turmeric (haldi)
½ tsp red chili powder (to taste)
salt & pepper, to taste
1 cup of your favorite vegetables*
2 tbsp of oil (vegetable or canola)
freshly chopped cilantro leaves for garnish

METHOD:

In a large deep skillet or wok on medium high heat, add the oil. When hot, add the onion and sauté until lightly browned. Next add the garlic, ginger & green chilies. Stir fry for just a few minutes and then add the spices (ground fennel seeds, kala masala, ground cumin powder, ground coriander powder, turmeric, red chili powder, salt & pepper). Stir well to combine all of the ingredients and sauté for 2-3 minutes. Next, add the ground chicken and mix well. Keep stirring until the chicken is thoroughly broken up and fully cooked through. The chicken should be aromatic and nicely browned. Now add in the vegetables, stir & let them cook for a few minutes before adding the tomatoes & the coconut milk. Mix well to combine, reduce the heat to low, cover and simmer gently for 5-6 minutes. Garnish with freshly chopped cilantro leaves and serve with fresh chapatis and fragrant Basmati rice.


VARIATIONS:

*You can add vegetables such as spinach, corn, bell peppers, carrots, green peas… Please note that if you are adding spinach or green peas, I recommend adding them just a few minutes before serving. They only need a few minutes to warm through, that way they will keep their lovely vibrant green color.