Thai Red Curry Stew...The Sequal

When it comes to cooking and creating in the kitchen I often develop Obsessive Compulsive Recipe Disorder. I went through that when I discovered Panko and more recently with my Red Curry Chicken Vegetable Stew. I couldn't get enough of that tasty dish which I devoured in no time, and had to have it again 2 days later. There were a few changes I decided to make and a new technique I thought I'd try on this go-round. I wanted to cut back slightly on the amount of coconut milk and cook the rice in the same pot as the stew- so this would truly be a "one pot" meal.

Being the frugal cook that I am, I hated discarding 1/2 a can of coconut milk (that's why I used 1 full cup in the last recipe) but Google informed me that I could freeze what I didn't use. How convenient. So I cut back on the milk. And then the rice element...well, I have a hard time making a properly cooked pot of brown rice (I always burn the bottom) and decided to use a bag of Success Rice and cook it directly in the broth. Success was achieved. The rice not only came out perfect, but the starch in the rice thickened the liquid/broth to perfection. And by now you've guessed I added ground cayenne pepper and changed the vegetables too. Well, snow peas and red peppers were on sale. What's a gal to do?

Thai Red Curry Chicken and Vegetable Stew #2

1 T canola oil
1 cup onion finely chopped (1/4 cup more than last time)
1 T Thai Red Curry Paste
2 cloves garlic finely chopped
1/2 -1 tsp ground cayenne pepper (I used 1 tsp)
1/2 cup lite coconut milk
1 14.5 oz can fat free chicken broth
1/2 cup water
2 T fish sauce
1 T brown sugar
1 tsp kosher salt
1/2 tsp black pepper
4 bone in chicken thighs, skinned
1 bag Success Brown Rice (I used the small size but the large would work equally as well)
2 red peppers sliced in 1/2 inch strips
1 8 oz bag of snow peas
1 8 oz package of sliced mushrooms
Juice of 1/2 lemon

Heat oil in large pot over medium low heat. Add onions and cook for 5 minutes until onions are soft and translucent. Add garlic, curry paste and cayenne pepper. Cook for one minute. Add coconut milk, broth, water, fish sauce, brown sugar, salt and black pepper. Stir to combine and bring to boil. Add chicken and reduce heat to a low simmer. Cover and cook for 35 minutes. Remove chicken to a separate plate and add the bag of Success rice. While rice is cooking (uncovered), shred chicken and set aside. Cook rice 10 minutes and remove. Add mushrooms and red pepper strips to liquid and cook 10 minutes (covered). Add the snow peas, cook 2 minutes. When snow peas are done, place chicken back in pot, add lemon juice and stir. Dinner is ready. And this is one GREAT one-pot meal.