Delicious Peanut Chicken

This recipe is so delicious that you must stop what you are doing, go to the store, buy these ingredients and make this for yourself and/or your family tonight. OK, you have my permission to read the recipe once through, then get moving to the store. This recipe is fantastic, out of the norm and so delicious you will want to make it (and eat it) again and again.

Its flavors are reminiscent of Indian and Thai cooking (two of my favorites). It has hot, sour, salty,and sweet flavors from a combination of curry paste, ginger, garlic, soy sauce, lime juice and peanut butter. And I love the contrast of textures – crunchy peanuts, creamy sauce (thickened with coconut milk), sweet green peas and the sharpness of fresh cilantro.

This recipe sounds complicated because it includes a lot of ingredients. Don’t let that stop you. It’s easy and simple and the ingredients are readily available in most any grocery store. Just chop and drop the vegetables, add the raw chicken, then mix and pour the sauce ingredients over all. You add the coconut milk and peas at the end of cooking, then top it with the crunchy nuts and cilantro to serve. I ate the leftovers the following day for lunch and they were as good, or better, as the original meal.

Peanut chicken

Two onions, cut in wedges
3 carrots, sliced
1 green bell pepper, cut in slices (The recipe called for a red bell pepper, but I used green because the red ones are ridiculously expensive)
2 pounds skinless, boneless chicken, cut in 1-inch pieces
1/4 cup chicken broth
3 tablespoons creamy peanut butter
1/2 teaspoon shredded lime peel
2 tablespoons lime juice
2 tablespoons soy sauce
1 tablespoon grated ginger
2-3 teaspoons red curry paste
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 cup frozen peas
3/4 cup unsweetened coconut milk
To serve: 3 cups cooked rice, roasted peanuts, chopped cilantro

Cut the onions, carrots and pepper and place in a 6-quart slow cooker. Top with the chicken. In a medium bowl, combine the sauce ingredients: chicken broth, peanut butter, lime peel, lime juice, soy sauce, ginger, curry paste and garlic. Pour the sauce over the vegetables and chicken. Cook on low for 7 hours. Add frozen peas and coconut milk, stir to combine. Let cook another 30 minutes. Serve over cooked rice and garnish with roasted peanuts and chopped cilantro.