Gluten Free Dairy Free Coconut Lime Chicken Curry

A gently spiced chicken curry bursting with zingy fresh lime and cooled with refreshing coconut; the perfect alfresco dinner for a breezy, summer night! It's gluten-free, dairy-free, paleo and low fodmap.

Serving suggestion: Serve alongside Thai sticky rice and steamed green beans

Yield: 6 servings
Prep time: 5 minutes
Cook time: 20 minutes

Gluten-Free Coconut Lime Chicken Curry

This curry is basically a cheat's version of a Thai green curry. It's another one of those 20 minute meals that is perfect for whipping up any day of the week! Plus, the natural sweetness coming from the coconut milk and the teeny amount of optional sugar, makes it really child-friendly. I love a good fiery curry, spicy enough to make your nose run and your eyes water. My husband isn't too keen on spicy foods, so this curry is a nice compromise. It's mild and gentle with coconut and lime, but also, I can easily dice up some more green chilies to kick my portion up and make it eye-wateringly spicy.

Plus, no matter what diet you're on, this recipe is suitable for you as written or easily tailored to ensure it is. It's naturally gluten-free and dairy-free, it's paleo and low fodmap and also sugar-free as the sugar is optional! I've got you! covered with this one, fam!

Ingredients:

For the curry
1/2 tablespoon basil
1 teaspoon chili flakes
1 teaspoon ground ginger
1 tablespoon coconut oil
1 tablespoon ground coriander
1 tablespoon coriander
1 tablespoon spring onions, diced (green part only if low fodmap)
1 green chili pepper, deseeded and sliced
2 limes, zest and juice of one
2 teaspoons palm sugar or brown sugar (optional)
180ml coconut milk
700 grams chicken thighs, boneless and skinless
Need a conversion? Use this handy chart.

Dairy-Free Coconut Lime Chicken Curry

I had my first curry when I moved to the UK nearly 10 years ago. Before then, the most exotic rice dish I'd ever eaten was a rice pilaf jazzed up with a bit of orzo pasta! And then I moved to Manchester, a place with a hefty Asian culture and a bustling and booming Curry Mile--a busy street on one of Manchester's main roads, double lined with curry houses, Arabic sweet shops and shisha bars--and also the place where I first tried a curry. From that moment, I've been a bit head over heels for them, with their intricate spicing, brilliant pastes and of course the variety of rice and breads that accompany them!

Instructions:

1. Brown the chicken thighs in a dry pan over medium heat for about 5 minutes, then set aside.
2. Add the coconut oil to the pan, reduce the heat and add the chili pepper, chili flakes, ginger, ground coriander, coriander leaf, basil, spring onion, lime zest and sugar and whisk together and allow to cook until fragrant, about 2 minutes.
3. Add in one tablespoon of the coconut milk and stir well and cook for a further 2 minutes.
4. Return the chicken to the pan and pour over the remaining coconut milk, squeeze over the lime juice and allow to cook until the chicken is cooked through, about 10 minutes. 
5. Spoon some of the cooking liquid over the chicken periodically to ensure it stays juicy.
6. Serve with lime slices, steamed green beans and Thai sticky rice.