Tender chicken with stir-fried veggies, this recipe pulls together some of our favorite flavors and superfoods: coconut, lime, garlic, ginger, and turmeric. My family has been enjoying this recipe for several months now. This recipe is free of dairy, soy, grains, starches, and nightshades, so it is perfect for AutoImmune Paleo protocol, GAPS Diet, and Keto! This recipe makes a complete meal on its own, or it can be paired with nutrient-dense white rice, sweet potato, or avocado as a side dish.
Although I usually chop-as-I-go when cooking, because of the large amount of chopping involved in this particular recipe, I like to prepare all of the veggies before I start cooking. Some of the veggies need to cook for longer than others, so keep the chopped veggies separated as follows:
Onions
Celery and carrots
Cabbage and squash
This is a large recipe which makes plenty for leftovers or freezer meals. My husband enjoys taking frozen single servings of this Coconut and Lime Chicken Curry to work for lunch, where it is re-warmed in a toaster oven. Feel free to cut this recipe in half for a smaller amount.
Coconut and Lime Chicken Curry
Serves 10-12
For the chicken:
4&1/2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken thighs, cut into 1-inch wide strips
4 Tb coconut aminos
3 cloves garlic, pressed
3/4 tsp finely ground celtic sea salt
For the veggies:
3 white or yellow onions, chopped large
4 celery stalks, chopped large
6 large carrots, peeled and chopped large
3 baby bok choy, OR 1/3 of a head of green cabbage, chopped
2 yellow squash or small zucchinis
2 tsp finely ground celtic sea salt
1-inch knob of ginger, pressed, OR 1/2 tsp dried ginger
4 cloves garlic, minced or pressed
3/4 tsp dried turmeric
4 Tb coconut manna
juice from 1 lime, ~2 Tb
Marinate the chicken:
Slice the chicken thighs into 1-inch strips.
Put the chicken in a bowl with coconut aminos, garlic, and 3/4 tsp salt. Stir to combine and place the bowl in the fridge while you work on the veggies.
Chop the veggies:
Chop the onions and put them in a large saute pan with 6 Tb unrefined coconut oil. Don't turn the heat on just yet. I use a 12-inch stainless steel saute pan for this recipe.
Chop the celery and carrots. These will get added to the pan together later on.
Chop the cabbage and squash/zucchini. These will get added to the pan together later on.
Cook the veggies and chicken separately:
Sprinkle the onions with 1 tsp salt. Turn the heat on high to get the onions cooking quickly. Saute the onions in the coconut oil for about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. A bamboo spatula works well for this recipe. It's okay if the onions get a bit of brown, caramelized color during this step.
Reduce the heat to medium-high. Add the carrots and celery to the pan, season with 1/2 tsp salt, and stir to combine. Saute for 5 minutes.
In a separate large skillet or pot, heat 4 Tb of coconut oil over medium-high heat until it is shimmery but not smoking. Add the marinated chicken to this skillet and saute the chicken for about 10 minutes while you cook the rest of the veggies in the other saute pan.
Once the carrots and celery have been cooking for about 5 minutes, add the cabbage and squash/zucchini to the pan. Season with the final 1/2 tsp salt and stir to combine. Saute for 5-8 minutes, until the veggies are cooked to your liking.
Meanwhile, mince/press the garlic and ginger. When the veggies are nearly done, make a little space to sear the garlic and ginger just until fragrant, about 1 minute. Then stir the garlic, ginger, and turmeric into the veggies and cook for another minute.
Turn off the heat for the veggies. Add the coconut manna and lime juice to the pan, and fold it all together.
Once the chicken is fully cooked, turn off heat.
Serve the chicken over the veggies, and enjoy! This recipe makes a complete meal on its own, or it can be paired with nutrient-dense white rice, sweet potato, or avocado as a side dish.
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