A Little Bit of This and a Little Bit of That = Red Curry Chicken

Last night was the night before garbage day here. They come to pick it up at the crack of dawn, or at least before I am dressed for the day so I always try to use up the odds and ends of refrigerated foods and vegetables on Monday and Thursday nights so I can hustle any trash out to the can. Today I actually remembered to check the fridge before I started to cook, so I had supper planned early for once.

I had bought a package of boneless chicken breasts for an little thing I am doing for lunch today. I had bought a huge package of chicken because it was so much more cost effective even though I would not need 3 of the breasts for lunch.  I knew dinner tonight would involve the chicken, plus I had 3 carrots, 2 almost wilted stalks of broccoli ( not the whole bunch just 2 straggling stalks), 2 small sweet yellow peppers, a slightly soft onion, a large handful of mushrooms, and about 7 asparagus spears.  There was not enough of anything to serve by itself but I thought they all might work in tandem. (When I chopped them they looked skimpy, but fortunately TheHub called on his way home from work and asked if I needed anything from the store.  (Why yes please, 2 zucchini!)

When I was checking the refrigerator I also found a jar of Thai red curry paste. I am not positive it is completely paleo but I think it is close enough. (I couldn't find my glasses and the ingredient list was too small to read, so I guess I am living dangerously, in fear of the paleo police!)  In addition to the curry paste I had my reliable coconut aminos, so a whacked out idea began to form.  I make a pretty good traditional red curry that is non paleo and I made it as close to my usual as I could substituting things as needed. (Not even close to what I usually use.)

                                                     Paleo Thai Red Curry

1 tablespoon olive oil
3 chicken breasts (Cut into pieces now or later, your choice, but now is prettier. I chose later)

1 1/2 tablespoons olive oil
3 carrots, chopped
1 onion, julienne sliced
2 small sweet peppers cut in strips
2 stalks funky looking broccoli chopped into smallish florets
1/2 ish cup of mushrooms, sliced
7 or so asparagus spears, cut in about 1 inch pieces
2 medium zucchini cut in "coins" then halved
2 cloves minced garlic

2 tablespoons red curry paste
1 can coconut milk
1 teaspoon coconut aminos
dash ground coriander
salt to taste

cooked rice or noodles for the non paleo diner, and for the paleo, well nothing

Put the olive oil in the bottom of a large pot and add the chicken breasts or chicken breast pieces.  Cook until they are light brown, but they do not have to be cooked through yet. Remove to a plate and add the additional oil to the same pot. (If you did not yet cut the chicken into pieces now is the time to do it.) Add the vegetables in the order they are listed, saving the garlic for the very last. Don't add it until the vegetables are somewhat tender since garlic has a short window between cooked and burned.  When the veggies are all nicely wilted add the chicken back into the pot. Stir in 2 tablespoons of red curry paste (less if you do not like much heat in your food, more if you like it blistering).  When the curry paste is all well incorporated add the whole can of coconut milk, coconut aminos, coriander and salt, and stir well.  Turn to a medium low heat and let this simmer until most of the liquid is cooked off.

Serve on rice or noodles (your choice) to anyone smart enough not to start paleo the week before Easter.  For anyone who is dumb enough to begin right before a holiday (a chocolate holiday to boot!), just put hers on a plate or in a bowl. The rice or noodles temper the "heat" from the curry paste.  After tasting a bite I realized I needed something to cool mine down just a little, I grabbed an avocado and sliced half of it to go on the top. It was perfect!

This was so full of flavor and texture I actually forgot this was a paleo meal.  I am thankful there was enough left over to have for lunch one day this week.  This is going to go in my regular food rotation and I can see having it often.  I think the only thing I can think of that I would do differently would be to add a tablespoon or so of minced, fresh ginger when I added the garlic and possibly add fresh bean sprouts to the sauteed veggies.  Yumlicious!

Now go clean out your refrigerator and let me know what you create!