Slow Cooker Yellow Chicken Curry

 

My chicken curry is finely flavoured with a homemade curry paste made from aromatic herbs and spices typical of Thai and Vietnamese cooking, and with the addition of healthy vegetables. It is also gluten free and low calorie. The curry cooks slowly and quietly in the pot of your slow cooker, to reward you at the end of your busy day with a delicious meal. 

If you love a healthy and flavoursome chicken curry packed with flavour, then this comforting meal is for you and will be a favourite amongst your friends and family. 

Ingredients:

Serves 4

332 calories, 1391 kj.

Curry Paste:

3 French shallots

4cm-knob of fresh ginger, peeled and grated

4cm-knob of turmeric, peeled and grated

2 lemongrass stems, finely chopped (only the white part at the base of stem)

 4 fresh makrut lime leaves, finely chopped (centre vein removed)

1 1/2 tablespoons curry powder

1 tablespoon lime juice

Chicken and vegetable ingredients:

1 tablespoon macadamia or grapeseed oil

600g chicken thigh fillets, trimmed of fat, and chopped up into 3 cm piece

1 large brown onion, cut into wedges

250 ml (1 cup) gluten-free and salt reduced Chicken liquid stock (Massel sells this if you need gluten free, otherwise use your favourite and most cost effective stock, or homemade) 

2 large carrots, sliced thinly

250g sweet potato, cut into 2 cm pieces (peeled)

125ml (1/2 cup) reduced fat coconut milk

2 tsp gluten-free cornflour

200g green beans, cut in half lengthways

1 zucchini, halved lengthways, and thinly sliced

Lime wedges to serve

Fresh coriander leaves to serve

Method:

First things first, the following Curry paste needs to be made.

Processing the aromatic Curry Paste

Place the shallot, ginger, lemongrass, makrut lime leaves, curry powder, lime juice, and 2 tsp oil in a small food processor. Process until it becomes a smooth paste.

Pour the remainder of the Macadamia Oil into a large frying pan over a medium heat. Spoon in the curry paste and cook, stirring  all the while, until it becomes aromatic (about 2 minutes.)

Add the chopped chicken and onion wedges.

Cook stirring for 1-2 minutes until the chicken is well coated in the curry paste. 

Pour in the stock and bring to the boil. 

Transfer to your slow cooker bowl. 

Cover and cook on the Low setting for 4 hours, however after 2 hours, you need to add the carrot and sweet potato.

At the end of the 4 hours, the chicken and vegetables should be cooked and tender. Remove the lid.

Next step:

Whisk together the coconut milk and cornflour in a small bowl.

Add the beans, zucchini and coconut milk  mixture to the chicken curry in the slow cooker bowl, and cover and cook for a further 15-20 minutes or until the vegetables are cooked to perfection. 

Serve with lime wedges and coriander leaves.

Cook's notes:

• Note to self: It's nearly time to plant coriander seeds for the winter coriander crop. We can only grow coriander here in the tropics in Winter.
• If at the end of the cooking time, there is too much liquid for your liking, cook longer on a high setting with the lid removed. However curries traditionally are served with an aromatic sauce.
• If you would like a richer curry, use a full fat coconut milk.
• I am fortunate to have lime leaves, lemongrass, fresh turmeric, and fresh ginger growing in our garden for easy access. If you can't find turmeric, it can be left out.
• I served this meal with rice, however it would be delicious with naan bread, or cauliflower rice or whatever else you prefer.
• A sprinkle of coriander leaves, and a squeeze of lemon juice enhances the existing flavours of this curry to perfection.
• If it's difficult for you to add the sweet potato and carrots after only 2 hours of cooking time, which I can understand if you are working or have a busy day planned, I think these vegetables could be partly precooked, and added to the curry when the beans. zucchini and coconut milk are added, requiring only another 20-30 minutes of cooking.

When I began making this curry only two days ago, I was feeling a little bit off colour with a head cold, and it was starting to rain here, again, and this delicious bowl of food was just what I needed, and with minimal effort. I felt quite restored after eating it.

Warm wishes

Pauline