Coconut Curry Chicken Bowls with Peanut Sauce
Tender, flavourful curry-marinated chicken served over creamy coconut rice with a simple peanut sauce and plenty of fresh, crunchy vegetables. I love this with cucumber, radish, and cilantro, but it’s an easy one to adapt to whatever seasonal vegetables you have on hand.
Coconut Curry Chicken Bowls with Peanut Sauce
Ingredients
For the Chicken
- 2 chicken breasts
- 2 tbsp yellow curry paste
- 1 tsp curry powder
- 1 tbsp sugar
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 1 tbsp fresh lime juice
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1 small garlic clove grated
- 1 tsp fresh grated ginger
For the Coconut Rice
- 1 cup rice
- 2 cup coconut milk
For the Peanut Sauce
- 2 tbsp smooth peanut butter
- 2 tbsp soy sauce
- 1 tbsp rice vinegar
- 1 tsp maple syrup honey, or sugar
To Serve
- Cucumber sliced
- Radishes thinly sliced
- Fresh cilantro
- Lime wedges
- Any other seasonal vegetables you like
Instructions
- Place the chicken breasts in a zip-lock bag or shallow dish and gently pound them until they are an even thickness and slightly flattened.
- Add the curry paste, curry powder, sugar, olive oil, lime juice, salt, and optional garlic and ginger. Massage everything into the chicken until well coated. Cover and marinate for at least 30 minutes, or up to overnight.
- Rinse the rice under cold water until the water runs mostly clear.
- Add the rice and coconut milk to a saucepan. Bring to a simmer, then cover and cook over low heat for about 15 minutes, or until the liquid has been absorbed and the rice is tender. Remove from the heat and let it sit, covered, for another 15 minutes.
- Add the peanut butter, soy sauce, rice vinegar, and honey, maple syrup, or sugar to a bowl. Stir until completely smooth. It may take a minute or two for everything to come together. If the sauce is too thick, add warm water, a teaspoon at a time, until you reach your desired consistency. Taste and adjust with more soy sauce, vinegar, or sweetness as needed.
- You can either BBQ or pan fry your chicken. Heat a little olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Cook the chicken for about 5–7 minutes per side, depending on thickness, until cooked through and the centre reaches 165°F (74°C). Let it rest for a few minutes before slicing.
- Spoon the coconut rice into bowls and top with sliced curry chicken, cucumber, radishes, and plenty of fresh cilantro. Drizzle generously with the peanut sauce and finish with a squeeze of lime.
- Use whatever fresh or seasonal vegetables you have on hand – shredded cabbage, carrots, snap peas, peppers, or greens would all be delicious here.
If you want some extra heat, subsitute the yellow curry paste with red curry paste.
