I’m a huge fan of Bread and Wine and all of Shauna’s recipes, but Mango Chicken Curry probably tops the list. (I say probably because I haven’t made the dark chocolate sea salted toffee yet–I”m scared to because I know I’ll not be able to stop eating it.)
The first time I made her curry, I was in ecstasy. At last! A Curry recipe that lived up to what curry should be–flavorful, sweet, and spicy all at once. I made it again, and again, and again.
And then temptation came. I was tempted to change the recipe. I thought, if chicken broth was good as a base, wouldn’t coconut milk be better?
So, I made one small change to the recipe. Then I couldn’t stop.
I decided the breading wasn’t worth the effort–it disappeared in the sauce, and made the recipe take that much longer to prepare. There was an easier, gluten-free and flavorful thickener for sauce–tomato paste.
Then I felt the urge to add seasonal vegetables, and finally I had to admit that I’d tweaked the recipe so much, I couldn’t just tell friends who asked for the recipe “it’s in Bread and Wine”. I had to post my own version on the blog.
So, here you go. My tweaked and simplified curry–which (don’t tell Shauna) I think is even richer and more flavorful than the original!
- 2 Tbsp. coconut oil
- 2 chicken breasts
- 1 onion
- 1 bell pepper
- 1-3 tsp. curry powder
- ½ tsp. garlic powder (or 1 clove fresh garlic)
- ½ tsp. ginger or ½ inch fresh grated ginger root
- ½ tsp. salt
- ¼ tsp. ground pepper
- 2 Tbsp. tomato paste
- 1 can coconut milk
- 1 tomato
- ½ half of a fresh pineapple
- 1 fresh mango
- aprox. 2 cups fresh seasonal veggies (summer squash, zucchini, brocolli, more onions, peppers, or whatever your heart can imagine in your curry)
- ½ c. raisins
- ½ bunch fresh cilantro
- juice from ½ lime
- Chop veggies and fruit into small cubes (no bigger than ½ inch) and divide them into two bowls: One for crunchy veggies that take longer to cook (onions, peppers, broccoli, etc.) and one for softer veggies and fruit that doesn't need long to become tender (mango, pineapple, summer squash, tomatoes, etc.)
- Dice chicken into bite sized pieces.
- Melt coconut oil in large frying pan over medium high heat. Add chicken and all the veggies from the crunchy bowl. Saute, stirring occasionally, until chicken is no longer pink on outside and veggies are starting to get tender (chicken will finish cooking as other ingredients are added.)
- Add curry, garlic, ginger, salt, and pepper and stir and cook until incorporated (curry powder is a personal preference thing--I like to add as much as possible while still not making it too spicy for my kids--that amount differs for everyone. Start with a teaspoon if you're unsure--you can add more later on)
- Add tomato paste and stir until it is melted into the veggies, then pour in the coconut milk. Stir until well combined.
- Pour in the soft fruit and veggies and simmer for about 5 minutes until they are softened.
- Add cilantro, lime juice, and raisins. Stir to combine, then taste test to see if it needs more salt or curry or a bit more of the other spices.
Don’t let the amount of ingredients intimidate you–it really goes together fast, especially if you eye-ball the spices instead of measuring. (Yes, you can do that with this recipe–it’s really simple, you can’t mess it up!)
You can make this recipe even faster and simpler by buying frozen fruit and veggies instead of fresh. And I do that occasionally, but I love having a cutting party with my kids. It goes fast with 4 helpers!
I doubled this last night and it served 4 adults and 7 children. My kids helped me chop all the veggies and I threw it together while nursing Elaina and prepping strawberry shortcake–it really is that simple. There’s really no way to mess it up, and it’s absolutely divine. If you’ve never cooked with mango, coconut milk, or this particular spice combo (all firsts for me as I explored this recipe!), it’s time to jump into the unknown with both feet–you will not regret it!
P.S. My Strawberry Shortcake recipe (beware: my family enjoys our shortcakes with whipped cream AND ice cream.) Or The Ultimate Strawberry Dessert.
This post contains affiliate links because I’m clever like that 😉
Mango chicken curry is a family favorite! Have you ever tried making it in the crockpot? Or freezing it?
Hi Trina 🙂 I can’t wait to try this recipe! Did you mean coconut milk in step 5?
Yes, yes–thanks for catching that, Shay!
Made this tonight with leftover chicken from Sunday dinner just a roasted bird. It was good, mine needed a little more spice, but that ‘s the beauty of this dish!! Thanks, ordered your book. Earlene
Thanks, Earlene!
Pinned! 🙂
Hi Trina! I need to add some variety to my menu and this is perfect. I love curry I’ll have to add tofu or something else besides chicken to the recipe because I’m a vegetarian but that should be easy enough. Good for you for having your kids help you in the kitchen! You must have your hands full!
Hey, Amy! I’m sure the recipe would do well with tofu–hope you enjoy! Thanks for your comment!