Last Updated on March 23, 2022
Fragrant and healthy chicken curry with ginger, coconut, coriander and lime
Sponsored Post written in conjunction with Green Chef
It’s so easy to get stuck in a rut at mealtimes. I generally cook for one or two – and I tend to make quantities of old favourites – low-calorie chilli con carne, venison tagine or tarragon chicken to portion up and freeze for my own homemade ready meals. Making something new can involve buying a host of spices and seasonings that you don’t have, trying an assortment of recipes until you find the best variation and then checking that it freezes well. All too often I stick with the tried and tested. It’s obvious to me that recipe boxes, like those on offer from Green Chef, work for different people in different ways. I have friends who have a regular subscription and love that process of picking out dishes to try for the week ahead, then cooking up a storm without the pain of having to step foot in a supermarket. For me, I am an occasional user – I buy recipe boxes when I have family to stay and want to cook something different. And, every so often I indulge in a week’s worth of meals just to learn some new dishes. This time, as an experiment, I’ve tried cooking one of the Green Chef recipes without the box. To find the right ingredients for this chicken curry with ginger and coconut involved buying a few items from Amazon and more as part of a supermarket shop.
I had some things in the store cupboard but, I’d never come across ‘poudre de colombo’ before. It turns out to be a Caribbean spice mix and I did find a recipe to make my own. But, I didn’t have fenugreek so, in the end I opted for a sachet of Seasoned Pioneers spice from Amazon at £6.25. I also needed ginger puree, coconut milk, fresh coriander, chicken thighs, kidney beans, carrots, red pepper and lime.
By the time I’d bought everything I needed it would have been more economical to order a box. But, this seemed like a worthwhile experiment – a justification if ever I needed one for buying the recipe box in the first place. I’ve been using up the remainders of fresh items I bought (coriander, peppers and carrots) in soups and stews all week – and I’m already planning more dishes to use the poudre de colombo and ginger puree. Now, that enforced creativity works this time because I really enjoyed the chicken curry with ginger. But, had I not rated the dish, I’d now be stuck with food waste. Buying a recipe box is a great way to try something without committing to eating more of the same ingredients for weeks on end.
As it happens, I really enjoyed the chicken and ginger curry with coconut and I’ll definitely be making it again. It was quick and easy – I made enough for two people according to the Green Chef site recipe, but served mine with steamed rice and that way there was plenty for three meals. I froze one portion and I’ve already enjoyed that – so I know it’s a recipe that I CAN make and freeze or keep in the fridge and reheat in the microwave. It’s a healthy dish and one which was really filling. And, as I had just tested positive for Covid, I really appreciated the antioxidant properties of the ginger with the fresh vegetables and lime.
Here’s how to make ginger coconut chicken curry yourself at home. Check the Green Chef website for more recipe ideas and for healthy recipe boxes to order and make at home.
- 4 medium boneless chicken thighs
- 1 medium banana shallot
- 1 medium red or green pepper
- 1 medium carrot
- 1/2 lime
- 200 g canned red kidney beans
- 2 tsp pureed ginger
- 2 tsp poudre de colomb curry powder
- 200 ml coconut milk
- 1/2 chicken stock cube
- 1 handful fresh coriander
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peel and chop the shallot finely
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remove the seeds from the pepper and cut the flesh into thin strips
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trim the carrot and half it lengthwise, then slice into thin fingers
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zest the lime and cut the remaining flesh into segments
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drain the kidney beans and rins
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remove the skin from the chicken thighs and chop the flesh into 2cm cubes
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put a drizzle of oil into a large frying pan and heat to medium high
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add the cubed chicken and stir until sealed on all sides and golden brown on the edges
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add the diced shallot and carrot and stir well until the vegetables are softened
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add the pepper and the ginger puree and continue to stir for 2-3 minutes
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stir through the poudre de colomb
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add the lime zest, kidney beans and a splash of water
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add the chicken stock cube, the coconut milk.
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season well with salt and pepper and cook for a few minutes till the chicken is completely cooked
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garnish with coriander and serve
Looking for something different? try our recipe for this healthy lemon chicken
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