Instant Pot Thai Curry Chicken

“Something warm," Oliver answers, when I ask him what he wants to eat on our way back down the canyon from climbing. This time of year, we get sunny winter days that are cool but not cold enough to keep us locked up in the house. When we’re done adventuring, we want something warm to eat, and fast. This Instant Pot Thai Coconut Curry always hits the spot. It helps that once you put all the ingredients in the pressure cooker and lock the lid, you set the timer for just 4 minutes and then you can eat! 

In addition to chicken, this Instant Pot Thai Curry Chicken is PACKED with veggies: zucchini, bell peppers, cauliflower — even sugar snap peas. Because of this, I like it even more than I like take out curry or restaurant curry, where I always wish they put more vegetables in the bowl.

You can customize this recipe to your spicy preferences, making it a “5 - Thai hot” or a “1” depending on what you would normally order. Since not everyone in our house agrees on how spicy their curry should be, I cook one big batch, and then let everyone add extra Thai Chilis to their own bowl to their heart’s content. Everyone wins!

I don't know about you, but in this household curry is in our top ten favorite meals. Valentine's Day is just around the corner (um, tomorrow!!) and it's not a holiday we celebrate much, but making our favorite meal and sharing it together is something we might do. Curry isn't your typical Valentine's Day meal, but I find it's perfect: wholesome, spicy, red, and makes everyone in the house smile. ❤️ ❤️ ❤️ That's all the counts. 

Other Valentine's Day dishes to try: 

• These homemade Earl Grey Truffles 😍

• Make a fancy cherry-wine reduction sauce for these Pork Chops 👩🏻‍🍳

• These Grain-Free Strawberry Cheesecake Swirled Brownies 🙌

Instant Pot Thai Coconut Chicken Curry

Published February 13, 2018 by Caitlin Sherwood

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Serves: 4   |    Total Time: 15 minutes

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Ingredients:

• 1 tablespoon coconut oil 
• 1 pound chicken breast, cubed
• 1/2 white onion, diced
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1-2 cups cauliflower, chopped into bite-sized florets
• 1 red bell pepper, sliced
• 1 orange bell pepper, sliced
• 1-2 cups sugar snap peas
• 1 cup zucchini, sliced
• 2-3 tablespoons red curry paste (3 if you like it spicier) (I used this brand (affiliate link!))
• 1/2 cup broth
• 1 13.5-ounce can full fat coconut milk 
• For serving: rice/cauliflower rice, cilantro, minced Thai chiles (for extra spice!) or favorite hot sauce

Directions:

1. Heat coconut oil in the bottom of your Instant Pot (affiliate link!) on the Sauté setting. Once oil glistens, place onion and garlic in the pot, and sauté, stirring occasionally, for 2 minutes. Then, place the cubed chicken in the pot.
2. Add chopped cauliflower, sliced bell peppers, snap peas, and zucchini to the pot along with the red curry paste, coconut milk, and broth. Stir everything briefly.
3. Close and lock lid on Instant Pot and change to “Soup” setting. Set timer for 4 minutes, with the vent in the sealed position.
4. When the timer goes off, release the pressure and unlock the lid. Serve curry with your choice of rice or cauliflower rice, and garnish with cilantro. Top with minced Thai chiles or your favorite hot sauce for extra heat!

Gluten-Free Slow Cooker Creamy Wild Rice, Chicken & Mushroom Soup (Instant Pot recipe!)

This creamy soup with wild rice, chicken, and mushrooms is comfy, cozy, homeyness in a bowl. 

One of my favorite dishes from childhood was wild rice with a cream of chicken and mushroom. It was my dad's signature, and was super satisfying. This soup is the "grown up" version of that dish: it's made using whole, raw ingredients (no soup mix here!), which I think gives it even more flavor than the version I grew up with. And while most wild rice soups ask you to make a roux with flour, this recipes skips that step all together. I don't think you'll miss the roux... made in a slow cooker (I use the slow cooker setting on my Instant Pot (affiliate link!)), the rice in this soup gives it an extra creamy texture, and the addition of half-and-half at the end makes it stick-to-your-bones good. 

Soup season is something I look forward to because soup is just the right sort of creative playground for trying different flavors. Specifically, creamy flavors. Yes, I have been on a bit of creamy soup kick: first this homestyle sausage & potato soup, and now this. Adding a little bit of cream to soups makes them infinitely more cozy... try coconut milk, like in this Lemongrass Chicken Soup, or cheese, like this artichoke provolone soup, or even puréed cauliflower, like this cauliflower & parsnip soup. And of course, make this wild rice concoction. This soup, I think, is one you need to make before the end of the month. Your Instant Pot is begging you. 

Gluten-Free Slow Cooker Creamy Wild Rice, Chicken & Mushroom Soup

Published February 6, 2018 by Caitlin Sherwood

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Serves: 6   |    Total Time: 30 active minutes

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Ingredients:

• 1 onion, diced
• 2 stalks celery, diced
• 2 carrots, diced
• 3 cloves garlic, minced 
• 1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon coconut oil
• 1/4 teaspoon salt 
• 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper 
• 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme 
• 2 bay leaves 
• 1 pound chicken thighs OR breasts - boneless, skinless 
• 1 cup wild rice, uncooked
• 1/2 c white wine
• 6 cups chicken broth
• 8 ounces mushrooms, sliced - (crimini, baby bella, and white mushrooms all work well)
• 1 cup half-and-half 
• To serve: 1/4 cup minced parlsey

Directions:

1. Heat 1 tablespoon coconut oil in the bottom of your Instant Pot (affiliate link!) on the Sauté setting. Add diced onions, celery, carrots and garlic.
2. Sauté until the onion is transparent, and then add the salt, black pepper, thyme, bay leaves, chicken, rice, white wine, and 4 cups of broth to the pot. Turn pot to “Slow Cooker” setting and cook on high for 8 hours with the vent in the sealed position.
3. After 8 hours, release any steam and open the pot. Using tongs or a slotted spoon, remove chicken from soup and set in a large bowl. Use two forks to shred chicken. Then, return chicken to pot and stir.
4. Cook the mushrooms: heat remaining 1 teaspoon coconut oil in a skillet until it glistens. Then, sauté the mushrooms until they are softened through and seared on both sides. Add cooked mushrooms to soup, along with 2 remaining cups of broth and 1 cup of half-and-half. Stir.
5. Serve hot in bowls, topped with minced parsley.

Zoodle Pad Thai with Chicken

If I were to dream about Pad Thai (you know, just hypothetically...), I think it would look like this. A rainbow mess of veggie noodles and hot, savory steam rising from the pan.

I mentioned it in my Thai Basil Chicken Recipe, but I love when Thai food is overloaded with veggies. Zoodles are the perfect way to do that! Regular Pad Thai calls for rice noodles, and I’ve made it that way, but what I love more is this combo of zoodles with caramelized red pepper strips and bright carrots. Hello, rainbow in a skillet!

This dish is also a “throw it all in the pan” sort of meal, which is just my style. If I know we’re going to be home late, I’ll spiralize the zucchini and chop the peppers and carrots in the morning, so that in the evening all I have to do is put things in a pan before eating. First the chicken, then the carrots and peppers, and finally the zoodles—they cook virtually instantly, so you barely have to wait before digging in!

Remember to sprinkle with crushed peanuts or cashews and a drizzle of Sriracha before you take the first bite. The crunch and zing is worth it. And if you want to really flex you culinary muscles, crack and egg into the pan in the last few minutes, scrambling it a bit. 

If you like this recipe, you'll also love this Zoodle Chicken Chow Mein, with cabbage and green beans.

Zoodle Pad Thai with Chicken

Published January 18, 2018 by Caitlin Sherwood

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Serves: 4   |    Total Time: 30 minutes

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Ingredients:

• 2 medium zucchini
• 1 cup carrot, julienned
• 1 red bell pepper, sliced
• 8 ounces chicken, cubed
• 1/4 cup scallions, minced 
• 1/4 cup cilantro, minced 
• 1 tablespoon coconut oil

For sauce:
• 2 cloves garlic, minced 
• 1/4 cup tamari or soy sauce 
• 3 tablespoons maple syrup 
• 2 tablespoons lime juice
• 2 tablespoons Sriracha (your favorite brand or homemade)
• 2 tablespoon tahini 
• 1/4 cup chicken or vegetable broth
• 1 tablespoon fish sauce OR if you prefer, Worcestershire sauce for a more mild fish flavor

For serving:
• 1/4 cup roasted peanuts, crushed 
• 1 lime, slided in wedges

Directions:

1. First, use a Spiralizer (affiliate link) to turn the zucchini into zoodles. Set zoodles aside.
2. Heat coconut oil in a skillet or wok over medium heat. Once oil glistens, add cubed chicken, browning for about 3 minutes on each side. Check to make sure the chicken is cooked through by slicing a piece in half— meat should be white all the way through, with no visible pink. If it is cooked through, use a slotted spoon to move chicken to a plate and set aside. (If any pink is left, cook in the skillet for a few extra minutes).
3. Add julienned carrot and sliced bell pepper to skillet, sautéing until tender. Once the carrots are tender and the peppers are starting to brown on the edges, add the chicken back into the pan, along with the zoodles, minced cilantro, and scallions.
4. Make the sauce: add all ingredients for the sauce to a small jar. Secure lid on jar, and shake until all ingredients are combined.
5. Pour sauce into skillet, and use tongs to move zoodles and chicken around in the pan so that everything is coated. Allow sauce to come to a simmer, and cook for 1 minute (just long enough for the zoodles to cook. I like them al dente—soft with a tiny bit of bite left- but you can cook them another minute if you prefer them extra soft).
6. Divide amongst serving bowls and top with crushed peanuts and lime wedges.