And coconut milk and bell peppers and snap peas… get your bags packed for a flight to flavor town!!!
I asked readers on my IG Stories what kind of recipes everyone has been craving and overwhelmingly I heard cries for ASIAN!! Well your wish is my command. I bring you a big bowl of juicy ground chicken, bell peppers and snap peas drenched in a coconutty, aromatic curry sauce you’ll want to drink.
There’s much to love about stir frys but nothing beats how fast they come together. They are my go-to meal when I’m starting dinner late because they take MINUTES to put together and are always loaded with flavor.
MORE STIR FRYS: Spicy Chicken and Cabbage Stir Fry, Coconut Basil Beef + Broccoli Stir Fry
I don’t always make my stir frys with curry but when I do, I always pair with coconut milk — it is SO creamy and decadent (like heavy cream, seriously) but dairy free and loaded with healthy fats versus just empty calories.
WHAT IS RED CURRY?
There are TONS of different currys that come from different regions across Asia. Red curry comes from Thailand and is comprised of herbs and spices like dried red chili peppers, cloves of garlic, sea salt, fresh lemongrass and fresh turmeric. It’s a wetter paste with a deep red color that pairs well with coconut flavors like in this recipe!
Here’s how you’ll make Red Curry Stir Fry:
- Brown chicken and sauté onions + garlic.
- Add in ginger + red curry paste to cook for 2 minutes.
- Whisk in coconut milk and bring to a boil before simmering.
- Add in bell peppers and snap peas to soften.
- Serve hot on its own or over rice!
TIPS ON MAKING RED CURRY STIR FRY
- You can swap ground chicken for a variety of meats: ground turkey and ground beef will cook for about the same amount of time, diced chicken will cook for a bit longer and shrimp will cook in about three minutes.
- Feel free to edit the veggies as well — broccoli, mushrooms and carrots would all be delicious in addition or instead!
- You can use light or regular coconut milk — the regular coconut milk cans might include some coconut cream that you’ll just whisk into the pan to break up.
- We served our curry over sautéd cauliflower rice, but steamed jasmine or coconut rice would be delicious to serve with as well!
I hope you love diving into a big bowl of this curry!
Red Curry Stir Fry with Ground Chicken
Ingredients
- 1 lb. ground chicken preferably thigh (lean not extra lean)
- 2 tbs. avocado oil
- ½ onion diced
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- 2 tbs. ginger paste or 2 inch piece, peeled and minced
- 3 tbs. red curry paste I use Thai Kitchen
- 1 can light coconut milk
- 1 small bag snap peas about 1½ cups; omit for Whole30
- 1 red bell pepper sliced into strips
- chopped fresh basil
- salt + pepper
for serving
- 2 cups riced cauliflower steamed or sautéed
Instructions
- Start by heating 2 tbs. canola oil in a wok, dutch oven or deep sauté pan over medium high heat. When hot, add ground chicken and season with salt and pepper. Brown for 2-3 minutes, breaking up with wooden spoon to smaller pieces.
- Add diced onions and continue to cook until chicken is no longer pink, about 6 minutes total. Then add in minced garlic, ginger paste and red curry paste, stirring to combine. Cook for 2 minutes before adding in coconut milk.
- Bring sauce to a boil then reduce the heat to a simmer for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Taste sauce and season with more salt + pepper as needed.
- After sauce has simmered for 10 minutes, add bell peppers and snap peas and cook for 3-4 minutes to soften. Serve curry in bowls topped with chopped basil on its own or over rice!