Basil Curry Coconut Chicken

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This week and last has been just what the doctor ordered (never mind the allergies).  Sun and blue skies every day all day, and endless play.  We spent our days outside playing and running and eating picnic lunches.  Teddy was dirty head to toe every day and as happy as could be.  

On days like these, making dinner is the last thing on my mind! Enter this crockpot basil curry coconut chicken.

After a week of beautiful sunny, almost summery days you might be thinking making a crock pot meal is crazy.  It's warm out, the type of weather for grilling and salads.  Aren't crock pots reserved for the fall and winter?  Not if you have the right recipe!

I found this recipe while looking for a recipe to freshen up my crock pot rotation for the spring.  It fits that bill and right in with our family's love of Asian inspired meals.  

The sweetness of the coconut and the earthy tones from the yellow curry and freshness of the basil are in perfect complement.

I added in chickpeas and sauteed broccoli to change this from a dish to a full meal.  Also, the originial recipe called for searing the chicken before cooking in the crock pot.  I opted out of that step and instead used frozen chicken.  If I'm going to crock pot a meal, 9/10 times I'm doing so to save time.  Searing chicken is not on my to-do list!

I hope you give this meal a try this spring!  If you do, you'll see with the right recipe the crock pot can save you time all year long! 

Happy eating!

xoxo

Cook Time/Servings

10 minutes active; 6ish hours inactive/Serves 6-8

Ingredients

  • 3 skinless, boneless chicken breast halves
  • 1 can garbanzo beans
  • 1 head of broccoli or bag of florettes  
  • 2 tsp curry powder (I used 1 Tbsp)
  • 1 tsp chili powder (I used more)
  • 1/2 red onion, chopped
  • 5-6 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1 Tbsp dried basil
  • 1 tsp grated fresh ginger
  • 2 tsp diced jalepeno
  • 2 cans coconut milk
  • 1/2 C basil chopped fine (Thai basil if you can get it but regular work just fine!)
  • 1 tablespoon cornstarch
  • hot cooked rice
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Instructions

  1. Combine both cans of coconut, curry, chili powder, garlic, ginger, and dried basil. Stir until fully incoporated.
  2. Place chicken, jalepenos, and diced onions in crock pot.
  3. Cover crock pot and cook on high for 3-4 hours, or on low for 6-8, until chicken is cooked through.
  4. Half way through cooking add in drained chickpeas.
  5. Once cooked through, use two forks to shred chicken
  6. 15-20 minutes prior to serving, (as you are making the rice) heat a pan with EVOO to medium heat, and sautee broccoli with garlic and ginger until tender.  Add to crock pot.
  7. OPTIONAL (makes sauce thicker, does not affect taste):
  • 10-15 mins before serving.  Create a slurry by whisking cornstarch with 2 tablespoons cold water in a small bowl or glass.
  • Once smooth, pour slurry, along with fresh ginger, into the slow cooker.
  • Cover and cook for another 10-15 minutes, or until mixture has thickened.

8.  Stir in fresh basil (and cilantro if you choose),
9.  Serve over rice.