This Mango + Red Pepper Coconut Chicken Curry is the ultimate Indian food — creamy, sweet, savory and packed with healthy ingredients, too!
If I could only choose two types of food to eat for the rest of my life, the second would be Mexican. But the first type of food would by farrrr be Indian/Middle Eastern food.
I didn’t experience Indian cuisine until I was 20, but I will never forget that first experience. When I was an intern for YES! Magazine in Bainbridge Island, Wash. I stumbled across a restaurant named Spice Route. On a work lunch one afternoon, a few coworkers and I walked there to enjoy the lunch buffet.Tucked away in a small building strip, the space was quaint and adorned with authentic Indian decor. Delightful fragrances hit my nose the moment I walked in the door, promising flavorful and freshly prepared food.
The host seated our group in a side room, where we were sat on plush pillows arranged beside a table that sat just off the ground. Not knowing what to order, I turned to my coworkers for advice. “Try the Saag,” one suggested before ordering garlic naan for the table to sample.
The rest of the experience was nothing short of spectacular — good conversation, a comfortable atmosphere, great food. From the first bite, I was hooked on Indian cuisine and couldn’t wait to try other dishes.
Three years later (and countless moments trying to convince my husband he’d like Indian food) I now cook Indian at home several times a month. My most recent ethnic cooking adventure was this Mango + Red Pepper Chicken Curry, which is perfectly balanced with sweet flavors like coconut milk and mango, and savory flavors like onion, garlic and curry. It’s a new favorite in our house, and I hope you like it too!
- 1 tablespoon coconut oil
- 1/2 large onion, diced
- 1/2 red bell pepper, diced
- 1 garlic clove, minced
- 1 tablespoon fresh ginger, minced
- 1 tablespoon yellow curry powder
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
- 3/4 cup frozen mango
- 2 tablespoons cornstarch
- 1/2 cup full-fat coconut milk
- 1/2 cup chicken broth
- 1/4 cup shredded sweetened coconut
- 2 chicken breasts, cooked and cut into 1″ pieces
- Salt and pepper to taste
- Using a small mixing bowl, whisk together chicken broth, coconut milk, cornstarch and shredded sweetened coconut. Set aside.
- Heat oil in a large sauté pan over medium heat. Add onions and bell pepper and cook, stirring occasionally, until they begin to soften, about 5 minutes. Add garlic, ginger, curry powder and cumin and stir for a few minutes until fragrant.
- Add mango and chicken broth mixture to the pan. Bring to a boil, then lower the heat to maintain a low simmer for about 15 minutes, stirring every few minutes. Remove pan from heat.
- Using a food processor, purée half of the mixture, pulsing until it becomes smooth. Pour mixture back into to pan and simmer for another 10 minutes. Stir in cooked chicken pieces and serve over Basmati rice.
well…since Whole Foods has red peppers on sale thru Tuesday 🙂
My husband would love this! We lived in WA state for a while I’ve been to Bainbridge before! I miss WA so MUCH it’s such a beautiful place!