Coconut Curry Chicken with Wild Long Grain Rice

Tender chicken simmered in a fresh red curry blend and rich coconut milk, served over nutty wild long grain rice. A warming, fragrant weeknight curry that comes together in one pot and tastes like it took far longer than it did.

What You Need

• 2 lbs boneless, skinless chicken thighs, cut into bite-sized pieces
• 2 tablespoons coconut oil
• 1 small onion, finely chopped
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 tablespoon fresh ginger, grated
• 3–4 tablespoons red curry paste (fresh-blended: red chiles, garlic, lemongrass, ginger, shallot, coriander seed, cumin)
• 2 (14 oz) cans full-fat coconut milk
• 1 red bell pepper, sliced
• 1 tablespoon fish sauce
• 1 tablespoon brown sugar or honey
• Juice of 1 lime
• Fresh cilantro and Thai basil, for serving
• 1½ cups wild long grain rice blend
• 3 cups water or chicken broth, for the rice
• Salt to taste

Method

1. Cook the wild long grain rice according to package directions in water or chicken broth, since it takes longer to cook than white rice — start this first.
2. Heat the coconut oil in a large deep skillet or Dutch oven over medium heat. Add the onion and cook until softened, about 4 minutes.
3. Add the garlic and ginger and cook for 1 minute until fragrant.
4. Stir in the red curry paste and cook for 1–2 minutes, letting it toast in the oil to deepen the flavor.
5. Add the chicken pieces and stir to coat evenly in the curry paste. Cook for 3–4 minutes until the outside is no longer pink.
6. Pour in the coconut milk and stir well to combine with the curry paste. Bring to a gentle simmer.
7. Add the sliced bell pepper, fish sauce, and brown sugar. Simmer uncovered for 15–20 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the chicken is cooked through and the sauce has thickened slightly.
8. Stir in the lime juice and taste, adjusting salt, sugar, or lime as needed for balance.
9. Serve hot over the wild long grain rice, topped with fresh cilantro and Thai basil.

Tips & Notes

• Toasting the curry paste directly in the oil before adding liquid makes a noticeable difference in depth of flavor — do not skip this step.
• Full-fat coconut milk gives the richest sauce; light coconut milk will make a thinner curry.
• Wild rice blends take 40–50 minutes to cook, so start it before you begin the curry.
• This curry keeps and reheats beautifully — the flavor is even better the next day.

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