CURRIED MANGO-GINGER CHICKEN RICE BOWLS
Serves 4
This may be the easiest and best curried chicken you ever make, with soft sweetness from the mango and the light, warm pungency of ginger. Simply coat the chicken with salt, pepper and curry powder, and our Mango Ginger Sauce does the rest! And if you are going meatless, try the tofu variation that follows.
Rice and peas is the traditional Jamaican accompaniment to many entrees, but if you want to keep it simple, plain steamed white or brown rice would be perfect too.
Ingredients
- 4 skinless, boneless chicken breasts (1½ pounds total)
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 2 teaspoons curry powder
- 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
- 1 cup Half Way Tree Mango Ginger Sauce, plus more for serving
- 2 tablespoons water
- Rice & Peas (recipe follows) or steamed white or brown rice
- For serving: whole milk yogurt, diced fresh mango, sliced Persian cucumbers, chopped pickled peppers, chopped cilantro, toasted cashews, Half Way Tree Country Pepper Hot Sauce
Rice & Peas
- 1½ tablespoons vegetable oil
- 1 medium onion, chopped
- 2 cups Thai jasmine rice
- 4 ½-inch-thick slices peeled fresh ginger
- 1 garlic clove, halved
- ¼ teaspoon ground allspice
- 3 thyme sprigs
- 1 bay leaf
- 1 (14.5 ounce) can unsweetened coconut milk
- 1¾ cups water
- 2 teaspoons salt
- 1 (15-ounce) can kidney beans, drained and rinsed
Preparation
Season the chicken breasts with salt and pepper and rub all over with the curry powder.
Heat the oil in a large nonstick skillet. Add the chicken and cook over moderately high heat until well-browned, about 3 minutes per side. Add the Mango Ginger Sauce and the water to the skillet and bring to a simmer. Reduce the heat to moderately low and cover the pan. Cook the chicken breasts, turning in the sauce once or twice, until it is just white throughout and the pan sauce is slightly thickened, about 5 minutes. Remove from the heat. Season the sauce with salt and pepper.
To assemble the bowls, spoon some of the Rice & Peas into 4 shallow bowls. Slice the the chicken and arrange it over the rice, then drizzle with the pan sauce. Surround the chicken with your choice of garnishes and serve with hot sauce on the side.
Tofu Variation
Slice firm or extra-firm tofu into thick slabs and press with paper towels to remove as much moisture as possible. Season the slabs with salt and pepper and dust with curry powder. Pan-fry in a lightly oiled nonstick skillet over medium high heat until browned on both sides. Add Half Way Tree Mango-Ginger Sauce and 2 tablespoons of water and simmer, spooning the sauce over the tofu, until the sauce is slightly thickened. Slice and serve as above.
Rice & Peas
Heat the oil in a heavy medium saucepan. Add the onion and cook over moderate heat, stirring, until softened and just beginning to brown, about 7 minutes. Add the rice and the ginger, garlic, allspice, thyme and bay leaf; stir until the rice is evenly coated with oil. Stir in the coconut milk, water and salt and bring to a boil.
Gently stir in the kidney beans, cover the pan, and reduce the heat to medium-low. Cook until the liquid is absorbed and the rice is tender, 25 to 30 minutes. Remove the rice from the heat and let stand, covered, for 10 minutes. Discard the thyme sprigs, bay leaf, ginger and garlic and fluff the rice with a fork.
