Chicken Curry in Bread Boats with Radish Salad
South African-inspired chicken curry with shiitake mushrooms, red curry paste, and coconut milk, served in toasted Greek bread boats on a bed of basmati rice and romaine lettuce. Topped with cashews and parsley, accompanied by a refreshing radish and orange salad with citrus vinaigrette.
Ingredients
- 1 ¾ lb chicken thigh fillets, cut into large chunks
- 11 oz shiitake mushrooms
- 3 whole yellow onions, medium-sized, cut into chunks
- 2 tbsp red curry paste, depending on heat level
- 2 whole red chili peppers, finely minced
- 2 cloves garlic, finely minced
- 1 whole limes, juiced
- 3 cans coconut milk, full-fat
- 1 tbsp wheat flour, for thickening
- parsley, chopped, for topping
- cashews, coarsely chopped, for topping
- 2 loaves Greek country bread
- romaine lettuce
- basmati rice, follow package directions, add 4 tbsp butter
- butter, for cooking
- oil, for cooking
- 1 bunch radishes
- 1 whole oranges
- ½ tbsp sugar
- 1 whole lemon, juiced
- 0.0 cups water
Instructions
- 1
Cut chicken thighs into large chunks. Cut onions similarly. Mince garlic and chili.
- 2
Sear chicken with just over half the curry paste until browned on surface but not fully cooked through. Set aside.
- 3
Sear mushrooms in butter until slightly crispy at edges. Set aside.
- 4
Cut off ends of both loaves of bread. Cut two slices approximately 4" high from each end of the loaves. Hollow out the bread, leaving about 2-1 ⅛" of bread at the bottom to form boat shapes. Place in oven at 225 degrees for about 5 minutes to firm up. Set aside.
- 5
Sauté onion, garlic, and chili in oil with remaining curry paste until onion softens without browning much. Add more oil if needed.
- 6
Return chicken and mushrooms to the pan. Pour in coconut milk and bring to simmer. Add lime juice and simmer for about 10 minutes. Thicken with flour if needed and simmer a few minutes longer. Season to taste with more lime juice, black pepper, and salt.
- 7
Slice radishes thinly or into wedges. Peel oranges to remove white pith, leaving only segments.
- 8
Combine lemon juice, sugar, and water. Taste and adjust; dressing should be mild and slightly sweet-tart. Pour over radishes and orange. Serve soon.
- 9
Place bread boats on a bed of rice and romaine lettuce. Fill with chicken curry and top with cashews and parsley. Serve immediately with radish and orange salad.
Tips
Toast bread boats briefly in oven to make them more structurally sound before filling.
Do not fully cook chicken during initial searing; it will finish cooking in the curry sauce.
Add oil gradually while sautéing aromatics and curry paste to prevent sticking.
Prepare radish and orange salad close to serving time so the dressing does not wilt the vegetables.
Good to Know
Curry sauce and salad components can be prepared separately up to 1 day ahead and stored in airtight containers in the refrigerator. Toast bread boats just before serving. Assemble and serve immediately.
Prepare curry sauce and refrigerate up to 1 day ahead. Cook rice according to package directions. Prepare radish and orange salad components separately, but combine dressing and vegetables just before serving to prevent wilting.
Serve curry-filled bread boats immediately, while still warm, accompanied by the chilled radish and orange salad.
Common Mistakes
Do not fully cook chicken during initial searing; incomplete cooking allows it to finish gently in the curry sauce and remain tender.
Do not skip the brief bread toasting; this firms the bread so it can hold the curry without becoming soggy.
Do not over-brown the onions while sautéing with curry paste; they should soften gently to maintain texture.
Do not prepare the radish and orange salad too far in advance; assemble close to serving so dressing does not wilt the vegetables.