Description
A comforting and fragrant dish featuring tender yellow curry chicken served in a flavorful lemongrass and coconut milk broth over rice, topped with fresh mint, chili crisp, and crispy shallots.
Ingredients
Scale
Broth
- 2 shallots, peeled and roughly chopped
- 1 small knob of ginger, roughly chopped
- 1–2 stalks lemongrass, roughly chopped
- 3 cups chicken broth (or 3 cups water + 1 heaping tablespoon Better Than Bouillon chicken base)
- 1 can coconut milk
- 3 tablespoons brown sugar
- 2 tablespoons reduced-sodium soy sauce (more to taste)
- 1 tablespoon lime juice
Chicken
- 1 lb. boneless skinless chicken thighs
- 1 tablespoon yellow curry paste (e.g., Maesri or Thai Kitchen red curry paste)
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
Rice
- 1 1/2 cups rice
Toppings
- Fresh mint leaves (to taste)
- Chili crisp (to taste)
- Crispy shallots (to taste)
Instructions
- Start The Rice: Begin cooking your rice according to the package directions to ensure it is ready by the time the broth and chicken are done.
- Prep Aromatics: Peel and roughly chop the shallots, ginger, and lemongrass into large chunks and add them to a saucepan or stock pot.
- Simmer the Broth: Pour in the chicken broth and coconut milk with the aromatics and simmer over low heat for 20-30 minutes to develop flavor. After simmering, discard the aromatics by scooping them out with a wire mesh colander or spider strainer, reserving the clear broth.
- Season It: Add soy sauce, brown sugar, and lime juice to the broth and whisk well. Taste and adjust seasoning to your preference.
- Make the Chicken: While the broth is simmering, toss the chicken thighs with yellow curry paste, garlic powder, salt, and olive oil until evenly coated. Air fry the chicken at 390°F for 12 minutes or until the internal temperature reaches 165°F. Alternatively, sauté the chicken in a pan until fully cooked. Then chop the chicken into bite-sized pieces.
- Serve: Plate the cooked rice first, add the chopped chicken atop the rice, and then pour the hot lemongrass broth over everything. Garnish generously with fresh mint leaves, chili crisp, and crispy shallots for added flavor and texture.
Notes
- You can substitute red curry paste if yellow curry paste is not available.
- Air frying the chicken gives a crispy texture, but sautéing works well if you don’t have an air fryer.
- Adjust the soy sauce and lime juice to balance sweetness and acidity to your taste.
- Use jasmine or basmati rice for best results and aromatic pairing.
- For a vegetarian version, substitute chicken with tofu and use vegetable broth.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 40 minutes
- Category: Main Dish
- Method: Air Frying
- Cuisine: Thai
Keywords: lemongrass broth, yellow curry chicken, Thai chicken curry, coconut milk broth, air fryer chicken, rice bowl recipe
