RECIPE: One Pot Thai Chicken with Carrots and Spinach

In the photo, this looks like it has a creamy orange sauce, which I thought was due to the red curry paste, but the orange color comes from grated carrots!  I used more spinach than the 3 cups the recipe called for, and wished I had added even more, so I doubled it in my recipe.  

Original recipe: One Pot Thai Chicken Coconut Curry

One Pot Thai Chicken with Carrots and Spinach

Serves 4

INGREDIENTS:

• 2-3 T. coconut oil
• 1 large yellow onion, minced
• 1 pound boneless skinless chicken breast cut into bite-size pieces
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 T. minced ginger, or 2 t. ground
• 2 t. ground coriander
• 1 13-ounce can coconut milk
• 1.5 cups shredded carrots
• 2 T. Thai red curry paste (use more or less depending on your heat tolerance)
  
• 1 t. himalayan pink salt
• 1/2 t. cayenne
• 6 cups fresh baby spinach leaves ( I used one handful = 1 cup)
  
• 1 T. lime juice
• Optional: 1/4 c. fresh cilantro leaves for garnish (I didn't have any so I left these out)
  

INSTRUCTIONS:

In a large skillet, melt the coconut oil over medium-high heat.  Add the onion and saute until it begins to soften, about 5 minutes.

Add the chicken and cook, stirring and flipping often, until both sides are cooked. 

Add the ginger, garlic and ground coriander and cook for about 1 minute stirring constantly.

Add the coconut milk, carrots, Thai curry paste, salt and pepper and stir to combine.  Reduce heat to medium and allow mixture to simmer for about 5 minutes or until liquid volume has reduced and the sauce thickens slightly.  This will fully cook the chicken and soften the carrots a little.  

Add the spinach and lime juice and stir to combine.  You may need to do this in two batches.  Cook until spinach is wilted and tender, 2-3 minutes.  Taste and adjust seasonings.

I served this with a little basmati rice, but it was good the next day all by itself!

(I used 5 generous handfuls of spinach and would have liked one more!  Use less if you aren't a spinach fan.)