Coconut Braised Chicken
Featured on Supper Club No. 11 - Coriander, lemongrass, ginger and turmeric, enhance this chicken dish into a delicious, complex Thai classic!
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons coconut oil or neutral oil
- 2 teaspoons ground coriander
- Kosher salt and black pepper
- 6 bone-in, skin-on thighs or 4 bone-in, skin-on chicken legs (about 2 1/4 pounds total)
- 4 scallions, thinly sliced
- ¼ cup finely chopped fresh lemongrass (cut from the tender centers of 2 stalks)
- 1 (2-inch) piece fresh ginger, peeled and finely chopped (about 3 tablespoons)
- 3 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
- 1 ½ teaspoons ground turmeric
- 4 fresh makrut lime leaves (optional)
- 1 cup chicken stock
- 1 (14-ounce) can light coconut milk
- 5 ounces mini sweet peppers (about 7 peppers), trimmed and thinly sliced (or 1 bell pepper, stemmed, seeded and chopped)
- Fresh cilantro (small sprigs and chopped leaves) or basil (sliced), for serving
- Rice noodles
Instructions
- In a large, deep skillet, heat the oil over medium. In a small bowl, combine the coriander with 2 teaspoons salt and 1 teaspoon pepper. Pat the chicken dry using paper towels, then rub the seasoning all over the chicken. Add the chicken to the skillet, skin-side down, and cook until starting to heat through on one side, 10 minutes. Raise the heat to medium-high and continue to cook, without flipping, until skin is well browned, 4 to 5 minutes. Transfer to a plate, browned-side up.
- Reduce the heat to medium-low, add the scallions, lemongrass, ginger, garlic, turmeric and lime leaves, if using, and cook, stirring frequently, until tender, 6 to 8 minutes.
- Stir in the stock and coconut milk and bring to a boil over high. Add the chicken, browned-side up, and cook over medium-low until cooked through, 20 to 25 minutes for thighs or 30 to 35 minutes for legs. (Chicken is cooked through when a thermometer inserted into the thickest part registers 165 degrees, or the juices run clear without a trace of pink when chicken is pierced with a knife.)
- Transfer the chicken to a plate, browned-side up. Whisk the sauce in the skillet to emulsify, season to taste with salt and pepper, then add the sliced peppers and cook over medium just until slightly softened, 2 to 3 minutes. Return the chicken to the skillet, browned-side up, and add a few small sprigs cilantro on top of the sauce, for garnish.
- Serve with rice or noodles, and pass bowls of cilantro at the table, for seasoning to taste.