Red Curry Chicken Crock Pot Recipe

Meal Monday

With the crisp fall breeze, autumn colors and clear skies comes a reunion with my crock pot.  There will come a point in winter when I grow tired of it. I will no longer be able to deal with the multiple containers of leftovers and the sometimes monotone flavor of a crock pot dish. I will yearn for fresh, crisp vegetables that no crock pot recipe can deliver.

But the shortened days and the abundance of root vegetables – which respond so well to slow cooking – do something to my culinary scruples and every year, I reach for the crock pot like an old friend, believing this time, she will reach her full potential.

Working together, and with Cooking Light's list of top Crock Pot recipes, we may make it happen. I have tried two recipes from the list, and have not been disappointed.

My satisfaction is partly due to my altered philosophy. I used to search crock pot recipes based only for their ability to deliver a complete meal in one, but I realize now that that is not their best feature. Crock pots are best for bringing flavors to their heightened intensity that no other kind of cooking can. So, a tiny portion of the time saved by using a crock pot will be dedicated to preparing rice and veggies. No biggie. Turns out it's worth it.

This recipe is an excellent example of the intense and rich flavor slow cooking can bring. The original – Curried Beef Short Ribs is absolutely fabulous. But I wanted to try it with chicken, to reduce the fat and increase the amount of meat. (I had found that my short ribs, while very tasty, offered very little meat per pound.) Below is my altered recipe for red curry chicken. It uses two cuts of chicken – check out the notes in the ingredient list -- and doubles the amount of sauce.

Red Curry Chicken Crock Pot Recipe

Ingredients:
2 teaspoons canola oil
1 ½ lbs chicken thighs, bone in
½ lb chicken wings (they are less expensive, and offer more bone per pound, which contribute flavor. And by the end of the cooking, the meat falls right off.)
1 ½ teaspoons kosher salt, divided
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, divided
2/3 cup minced shallots
6 tablespoons minced garlic
6 tablespoons minced peeled fresh ginger
½ cup water
4 tablespoons red curry paste
1/2 cup light coconut milk
2 tablespoons sugar
2 tablespoons fish sauce
1 teaspoon grated lime rind
2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
4 cups hot cooked basmati rice

Preparation
1. Heat oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Sprinkle chicken with 3/4 teaspoon salt and 1/8 teaspoon pepper. Add half to pan; cook 2 minutes on each side or until browned. Place the meat in an electric slow cooker. Repeat procedure with remaining chicken.
2. Add shallots, garlic, and ginger to pan; sauté 2 minutes. Stir in water and curry paste; cook 1 minute. Stir in coconut milk, sugar, and fish sauce. Add coconut milk mixture to cooker. Cover and cook on low 6 hours.
3. Remove the chicken from cooker; keep warm. Strain cooking liquid through a colander over a bowl; discard solids. Place a zip-top plastic bag inside a 2-cup glass measure. Pour cooking liquid into bag; let stand 10 minutes (fat will rise to the top). Seal bag; carefully snip off 1 bottom corner of bag. Drain drippings into a small bowl, stopping before fat layer reaches opening; discard fat. Stir in remaining 3/4 teaspoon salt, remaining 1/8 teaspoon pepper, rind, and juice. Shred meat with 2 forks; discard bones. Serve sauce over chicken and rice.

Photo by RovingI via Flickr

Comments

[Musical instruments]

This is now my favorite chicken recipe and is absolutely delicious! It is so easy to make, Make sure you prepare twice as much, because you will not be able to stop eating it! Also - keep the napkins close by as it is a meal that you will really get in to!

[DCL Australia]

My favorite also! I really like Indian curry sauces/pastes. They also make some decent high temperature and provide food too Patak's also makes decent a pot of soup. I believe that you can find both Patak's and Living rooms of Indian products on Amazon.