I have always learned things in the same order. Rather than crawl, walk, and then run, I prefer to fly, crash into something, limp along, and then jog. This has almost always been true, much to the chagrin of myself and occasionally everyone around me.
This is no less true of cooking than of anything else I’ve learned to do. When I was in high school and college, sometimes my dad and I would cook together. He always chose the most complicated and precise recipes because at his core he’s a math guy, and I think being told exactly how much of something to use really speaks to him. Cooking a difficult recipe together was always fun. We’d usually split the work and the outcome would be exceptional.
This tangent has a point: my dad is still as drawn to complicated recipes as he was 20 years ago. That’s why when I read this Sticky Coconut Chicken and Rice recipe from the New York Times and saw he had bookmarked it, I read the steps and knew I had to make it. That’s because while it seems simple on first reading, a dive into the comments will reveal that it’s anything but. A classic Bob move.
What’s not a Bob move is where I decided to go with it: I read a ton of the comments, picked out several suggestions, and used all of them. With a quick detour onto my stovetop because I realized I didn’t know for sure if my All Clad pot shaped like a Dutch oven was ovenproof or not, this turned out great.
The most useful feedback, however, came from this user:
This comment, which blindsided me with something I had never even considered before, sent me down a rabbit hole of articles about liquid to rice ratios that resulted in me reducing the liquid in this recipe by a substantial amount because…science.
Lo and behold, after the designated time, I’m happy to report: perfectly cooked rice! Not too mushy and perfectly flavorful. Thanks, Kalinda!
Side note: one commenter mentioned “my family asked that I not make this again.” Excuse me? If your family wants something else, they can cook for themselves. THANK YEW.
Follow the recipe below for something flavorful with a finishing crunch and a little bit (or a lot, if that’s your thing) of heat.
Stovetop Coconut Chicken & Rice
Ingredients
- 1.5 lbs boneless, skinless chicken thighs cut into 2-inch pieces
- 1/4 C vegetable oil
- 2 tsp kosher salt
- 1/2 tsp black pepper
- 1 tsp cumin
- 1 tsp garam masala
- 2 tbsp grated fresh ginger, + dash of ground ginger
- 2 tbsp minced garlic
- 1.5 C basmati rice
- 1 C chicken broth
- 1/2 TBSP fish sauce
- 1 (13.5-ounce) can full-fat coconut milk
- 2 yellow bell peppers cored, seeded and chopped (½-inch pieces)
- 6 scallions, green and white parts, thinly sliced
- 2 tbsp coarsely chopped cilantro
- 1/2 C roasted cashews, coarsely chopped
- Hot sauce
Instructions
- After chopping up the chicken, season it with 1 tablespoon of oil, and season with cumin, garam masala, 1 teaspoon of salt, and ¼ teaspoon of pepper. Cover and put in the fridge while you prep the rest of the recipe.
- In a large Dutch oven or stock pot, heat 2 TSBP of the oil over medium heat.
- Working in batches and adding a tiny bit of oil as needed to the pan, brown chicken, turning halfway, until no longer pink and mostly cooked through. Transfer to a plate.
- Add the remaining 1 TBSP oil, the ginger and garlic to the empty pot and stir until fragrant, 30 seconds.
- Add rice and stir until evenly coated in the oil.
- Add broth, coconut milk, bell pepper, fish sauce, scallions and the remaining 1 teaspoon salt and ¼ teaspoon pepper.
- Stir to lift up any browned bits on the bottom of the pot. Arrange chicken on top, add any accumulated juices from the plate and bring to a boil over high.
- Cover and cook on high until all of the liquid is absorbed, rice is tender and chicken is cooked through, about 15 minutes.
- Top with a dash of hot sauce, cashews, and cilantro, and serve.
Notes
I used a Dutch oven. The cook time might be different in a stock pot with thinner walls. As always, keep an eye on it!
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