Chicken Thigh Curry

Sometimes my most delicious and best cooking is also my most chaotic. There are so many nights where I have no real plan or vision of what I want on the plate so I just grab ingredients that I think will pair well together and take it from there. This was one of those dishes. I had chicken thighs and it was cold outside so I knew I wanted to make a soup or saucey dish. You can pretty much use tomato sauce or crushed tomatoes as a base, throw in some seasonings and veggies and bam, you’ve got a tasty dish! While this dish may have been created by chaos, it ended up being so rich and creamy!

• 1 Lb Chicken Thighs (4-5 thighs)
• 1 Yellow Onion, Finely Diced
• 3 Cups Shredded Kale
• 1 Red Bell Pepper, Diced
• 8oz Crushed Tomatoes
• 15 Oz Coconut Milk
• 1 Tsp Onion Powder
• 1 Tsp Garlic Powder
• 3 Tsp Garam Masala
• 2 Tsp Coriander
• 1 Tsp Cardamom
• 5 Garlic Cloves, Minced
• 1 Tbsp Minced Ginger
• 2 Tbsp Olive Oil
• Salt + Pepper, To Taste
• Rice for Serving (Optional)
• Diced Green Onions for Serving (Optional)

Serves: 4-5

Time: 40 Minutes

To Make:

1. Using a towel, pat dry the chicken thighs to remove any excess moisture – this will help them brown better.
2. In a large pot (I used a dutch oven), add the olive oil and heat on high heat. Once hot, add the chicken thighs and cook for 3-4 minutes on each side to brown them. After both sides are browned, remove the chicken thighs and transfer to a plate – set aside for later.
3. Reduce the heat to medium and add in the yellow onion and red bell pepper. Cook for 8 minutes until they start to soften. Next, add in the minced garlic and cook for 2 minutes, stirring constantly to prevent burning.
4. Add in the crushed tomatoes, coconut milk, minced ginger, onion powder, garlic powder, garam masala, coriander, cardamom and season with salt and pepper. Stir to combine and heat the sauce until it begins to bubble.
5. Once the sauce bubbles, add the chicken thighs back in and fully submerge them in the sauce, cover, reduce to low heat and cook for 30 minutes. Check and stir occasionally to prevent burning.
6. Lastly, stir in the 3 cups of shredded kale and continue stirring for 3-4 minutes until the kale softens.
7. To Serve: remove the chicken thighs from the sauce and slice them. Divide the remaining sauce between 4-5 bowls then top each bowl with one of the sliced chicken thighs and garnish with diced green onions. Serve alongside rice and enjoy!