Coconut & Lemongrass Braised Chicken
An adaptation of a recipe I spied in an issue of Bon Appetit, this very simple and quick braise is incredibly aromatic and flavorful. Thanks to its creamy coconut milk bath, the meat stays juicy and succulent. If you have trouble finding fresh lemongrass you might find a tube of the paste in your grocer’s produce section. You can sub 1 TBSP of that if needed. Also, here is a good baking dish for this recipe.
- Yield: Serves 4
Ingredients
- 15-ounce can full-fat coconut milk (give it a good shake before opening)
- 2.5 TBSP green curry paste (sub red if you want!)
- 2 lemongrass stalks, crushed (you can use 2 teaspoons of lemongrass paste, if you prefer)
- 6 garlic cloves, smashed (see note)
- 2-inch piece of ginger, peeled and roughly chopped
- 8 chicken drumsticks
- Salt and pepper, to taste
- Cooked Jasmine or Basmati rice
- TO SERVE: Chopped cilantro, toasted unsweetened coconut flakes, fresh limes
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 350 degrees F. Adjust your rack to the middle position
- In a large baking dish or roasting pan, whisk/stir together the coconut milk with the curry paste until smooth and combined. Add the lemongrass, garlic, ginger, and chicken. Spoon some of the braising liquid over the chicken and season with salt and pepper (keeping in mind that curry paste can be a little salty).
- Place the dish in the oven and cook until the chicken gets deeply browned and crispy on top; about 60 to 75 minutes. A couple of times during the cooking process, baste the chicken with more of that liquid. This will help the color/flavor develop nicely.
- Serve with fluffy rice, with the braising liquid as the sauce, garnished with chopped cilantro, toasted unsweetened coconut, and fresh lime.
Notes
NOTE 1: to “crush” lemongrass, just give it several good whacks with the back of your knife blade, splitting it and opening it up just a little. This will help the flavor permeate the braising liquid.
NOTE 2: To smash garlic, remove the skins and then place the whole clove(s) under the blade of your knife. Using the palm of your hand or a closed fist, give it a good whack, flattening it and essentially, “smashing” it.