Braised Peanut Curry Chicken with Thai Gremolata

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Today: A classic Thai dish gets introduced to a bright, herbaceous garnish; we eat bowlfuls.

Sometimes dinnertime inspiration comes from the least likely places—in this case, off of Highway 80 in California, in a Thai restaurant. One of the dishes on the menu was a slow-cooked beef curry, or Panang Nuer. It was doused in a rich peanut curry sauce but garnished with a chiffonade of kaffir lime leaves to brighten it. After devouring her bowlful, indieculinary set out to recreate the dish in her own kitchen, subbing the beef for chicken and adding a Thai-style gremolata as garnish. Served over soba noodles or rice, it's the perfect springtime comfort food—bright enough for a warm day, but heavy enough to satisfy a craving for a hearty meal:

Braised Peanut Chicken Curry with Thai Gremolata

Serves 8

For the chicken curry:

1/2 cup red Thai curry paste (preferably Maesri brand, if you can find it)
1/2 tablespoon peanut oil or any neutral oil
Two 8-ounce cans coconut milk
1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons peanut butter
Juice of 1 lime or a chiffonade of 4 kaffir lime leaves (worth it if you can find them!)
1 tablespoon brown or palm sugar
1 tablespoon fish sauce
2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken thighs

For the Thai gremolata:

2 small shallots, minced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 cup roasted, salted peanuts, minced
Zest of 2 limes
1/2 cup minced, packed cilantro

See the full recipe (and save and print it) here.

Photo by James Ransom

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