Slow Cooker Coconut Chicken Curry Recipe
Day 3.
I love Indian Food. A lot. If money were no object (and it really shouldn't be, so it sucks that it is) I'd order Indian delivery a few times a week.
While cleaning out the pantry (ok, I was looking for Ruffles) I found a can of light coconut milk I bought eons ago and decided I should try to recreate our favorite coconut curry dish. I found a slow cooker recipe in a grocery store cookbook magazine from 2002 that my mom gave me. It seemed overly complicated and I didn't have all the listed ingredients, so I made up my own.
I used:
I used:
8 frozen chicken breast tenders
1 (14-oz) can Light Coconut Milk
1 large handful baby carrots
1 cup chicken broth
1 whole cinnamon stick
1/4 tsp red pepper flakes
1 1/2 teaspoon curry powder
a lid of onion flakes (about 1 tablespoon) (you could use a real onion but I didn't have one and I hate chopping them anyhow)
a half package of sad looking sliced mushrooms
See how there is a bag of sweet potato spears in the picture? They would have tasted really good in there-- I'm thinking-- but they were completely slimy and disgusting when I opened the bag. I think they were purchased 3 weeks ago. Oops. At least now the mystery ooze in the bottom of the produce drawer has been accounted for.
I plopped everything in together. I didn't thaw or brown or do anything with the chicken. It has never seemed necessary to me and I don't particularily like extra work.
Or any, for that matter.
I am oh-so-fancy, so I used a bag of frozen homemade chicken broth that I made way back in 2007 in the slow cooker. Don't worry. I'll show you how. Any chicken broth would do, however. And it would probably have that awesome salty taste that I miss when using my own chicken broth.
mmmmm. salt.
Here's a visual of how many onion flakes I used (just in case.)
(because I don't want you to be lost.)
(because I care.)
so there you go---everything all in at the same time all together. Frozen solid chicken along with frozen solid chicken broth.
frozen salmonella stew
It was 
a.m.
a.m.
I thought we'd eat at about 6, so I put it on high and left it alone.
Sort of.
I have issues with peeking and can't seem to follow directions well, so I checked. And stirred. Often.
I even left the lid ajar to try and thicken the sauce.
it didn't really work. but it made the house smell awesome. and lightly humidified the air. with coconut juice. my skin is now soft and supple.Then! All of a sudden!
I thought we should have quinoa. I got out the rice cooker and plugged it in.
brotherly love
and dumped a 1/2 bag of frozen broccoli right on top.
I don't really know why. I must have been bored.
Even with my poking and prodding, dinner was done early.
The kids set the table and we sat down for a fantastic, healthy meal and shared enchanting tidbits of our day.
Yeah. Except, not any of that.
The kids refused to eat anything, and instead ate bananas and peanut butter. Adam and I tried to like it, but thought the whole thing was bland and soupy.
So there you go.
Take out is definitely better.
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Non-Flops:
Good for you, reporting both the good AND the bad.
ReplyDeleteMy daughter does the same thing with meals that take time/effort. Of course she eats the ones that come together in 10 minutes of desperation and are NOT better than the ones that take time and love, but that's how it is.
If you can keep this up every day all year, you surely will win a big, fabulous prize from someone. And you can chop your onion in your Vita Mix, doncha know? Only way to do it, IMO.
ReplyDeleteI have all these ingredients and was going to put them in my crock pot until I got to your verdict. Oh, well. There's always tomorrow.
b--it is so frustrating, isn't it?
ReplyDeletestephanie--ooh, good tip about the vitamix. I never would have thought of that.
xoxo
steph
oh, man. i wanna make this.
ReplyDeletebut it's damn near impossible to find gluten-free curry. gah. how'd you do it?
woah, Laura, I never would have guessed that curry powder might not be gluten-free. I grabbed MCCormick because it was on sale and never even thought to research if it was GF. oops. The ingredient list reads: corrianer, fenugreek, tumeric, red pepper and onion. A google search unearthed this: http://www.penny.ca/McCormicks.htm
ReplyDeleteI did chop everything up and made fried rice for dinner that turned out totally awesome. I used LaChoy which is gluten-free but laden with actual soy. ok for us--xoxo
steph
This is so funny! I'm looking for a recipe to use up some cooked turkey breast. So, it will NOT be a coconut Indian dish with turkey instead of chicken, but at least I'm smiling a big, huge smile right now. Maybe I'll just have the turkey on some lettuce and go straight to the pb&b sandwiches for the kids. Also I have no coconut milk. Still, though, I have the laughter and that's much better!
ReplyDeletei recently experienced bad curry too. i used a curry recipe from http://katsinthebelfry.blogspot.com/2008/02/of-pestilence-prezzies-crockpots-java.html - but something went horribly wrong! minime and i ate it once - and now can't seem to get it back into our mouths. we're going to try your newer recipe!
ReplyDeleteuh, oh! belfry left me a message that you replied to her. LOL well, she wants me to let you know that it wasn't HER recipe (really, it wasn't) but the spinish in mine came out very bitter. i will try hers again - but with green beans. but you know - like you, i didn't thaw the spinich first - could that be the issue??
ReplyDeleteoh, ick! I'm sorry that I responded to the wrong person!
ReplyDeletethat's a good thought about the spinach---maybe it had too much moisture?
have a wonderful night!
steph
Oh, I'm so sorry. I can usually please about half the people in my family with any given meal. Usually, the harder I have worked, the less they will like it. :)
ReplyDeleteHmmm...I'm no dummy. I read the verdict of this recipe and I think I'll read on to recipe Day 4. I love this blog!
ReplyDeleteAs an indian woman, let me assure you there really is no such thing as curry powder.
ReplyDelete"curry powder" was invented by the british to make cookign indian food a breeze. It is essentially a mixture of Coriander (cilantro seed) powder, Cumin poder, Turmeric (very good for you and what gives it that yellow color), and based on the region maybe fenugreek seeds, black peppercorns, Red chilli powder. all of these can be purchased relatively cheap online or at an ethnic grocery stores. And all of the spices are gluten free, unless the manufacturer (aka Mcmormicks etc.) adds any for thickening etc.
your best bet is to but these individually and add them to taste.
Wow! I just learned something about curry powder! :) Cool!
ReplyDeleteSorry it was a flop. :( I'm scared of flops, which is why I started with a roast and veggies for my first 'slow cooker' meal. :) I really want to try that apple crisp. Yummo!
When I want something in the crockpot to have a thick sauce I add a couple of tablespoons of minute tapioca at the beginning, and it will thicken the broth as it cooks.
ReplyDeleteI make a coconut curry in the crock pot that is great! I do a bit of prep work tho. I caramelize 2 onions (this makes the biggest difference) and the cut up chicken too in a pan. Then I toss whole small potatoes and huge chunks of cauliflowers in the crock pot with
ReplyDeletea handful of dried chick peas. I cover with chicken stock, 2 cans of coconut milk and 2 big tbs of curry paste. The powder just doesnt have enough umph for me. Low for 6-8 hours, and I am in heaven.
Note to self: Read your verdict before actually trying the recipe. Thanks so much for sharing your whole journey, not just the winners! Subscribing to your blog...as soon as I figure out how...
ReplyDelete