Thai Chicken and Eggplant Panang Curry Recipe
Thai Chicken and Eggplant Panang Curry seamlessly blends the zest of store-bought Panang curry paste with the freshness of garden produce, bringing mild heat to a rich, coconut-infused sauce.
Servings: 3 servings
Ingredients
- 1½ tablespoons coconut oil or vegetable oil
- ⅔ cup yellow orange or green bell pepper, sliced into thin 2-inch long strips (about ½ a pepper)
- ⅓ cup white onion sliced into 2-inch long strips, (about ½ a onion)
- ⅓ cup carrot peeled and sliced on diagonal into ¼ “ rounds (about 1 medium carrot)
- ⅓ cup egg plant cut into ½” pieces (about ½ of a small eggplant)
- ⅓ cup zucchini cut into ½” pieces (about ½ of a small zucchini)
- ⅓ cup canned bamboo shoots , rinsed and drained
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- 14 ounces unsweetened coconut milk (see note)
- 2 teaspoons Panang curry paste like Mae Ploy Panang Curry or substitute a Thai red curry paste for mildier spice level and 1 tablespoon for more heat.
- 1 tablespoon fish sauce
- 2 tablespoons packed dark brown sugar
- 8 ounces chicken breast or tenderloins sliced into 1-½ inch pieces
- 1 tablespoon lime juice plus lime wedges for serving you'll need 2 limes
- ¼ cup fresh chopped cilantro
- ⅓ cup dry roasted peanuts finely chopped
Instructions
COOK RICE.
- Rinse and drain rice. Bring 1 cup water to boil in a medium saucepan. Add ¼ teaspoon salt and ½ tablespoon butter or oil and allow the butter to melt. When the water has returned to a boil, stir in ½ cup of rice. Let the water return to a light simmer. Stir again, cover and turn the heat down to low. Keep the rice simmering slightly and the pot covered. Check the rice at 15 minutes to see if water is absorbed. When cooked, remove from heat, fluff with fork and let sit covered for another 2 minutes, this allows extra moisture to be absorbed.
Make Curry
- Heat the oil in a 12-inch nonstick skillet over medium-low heat until shimmering. Add the pepper, onions and carrots and cook, stirring frequently, until softened about, 2 to 4 minutes. Brown eggplant and zucchini lightly on all sides, 5 to 7 minutes. Add the bamboo shoots and garlic and cook, stirring constantly, until fragrant, about 30 seconds.
- Add the coconut milk, curry paste, fish sauce, and sugar and whisk together. Bring to a gentle boil, then reduce the heat to a simmer and cook, uncovered, until slightly thickened, about 2 minutes. Add the chicken to curry mixture and simmer, uncovered, stirring occasionally to promote even cooking, until the chicken is cooked through, 5 to 8 minutes. (Do not let the sauce vigorously boil; the idea is to cook the chicken gently so that it's tender.) Stir in the lime juice, cilantro, and peanuts. Taste and adjust seasoning with more lime, if necessary. Serve with rice.
Video
Notes
Make-Ahead Instructions: Panang curry may be made ahead of time but take care not to overcook the chicken. After you've prepared the dish, let it cool down to room temperature, then transfer it to an airtight container and store it in the refrigerator. When you're ready to enjoy it, gently reheat the curry either on the stovetop or in the microwave until it's heated through.
For more tips read the section on Making Ahead and Storage