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.

Homestyle Sausage, Potato & Spinach Soup

On a cold and misty day, my mom and I meandered down a paved path in the bay area. My mom stopped on the side of the path and held a tree's leaves between her fingers. "Laurel trees," she explained, and when I still didn't quite get it she said, "Bay Leaves."

I've never given bay leaves their dues: they are easy to skip, as a whole pot of soup usually only calls for one or two leaves. They are subtle, so skipping them is never the end of the world. But delicate flavors have always ranked high in my mom's book: florals, herbals, and creams. 

In the winter she'd make soups with leeks and kielbasa, and stir in cream or (and) shredded provolone at the last minute before turning off the heat. She never skipped the bay leaves. 

This soup is an ode to that day, when I discovered how beautiful laurel trees are and remembered why bay leaves are so important. It is nothing fancy: onions, potatoes, sausage, and spinach in a creamy broth. But simplicity is key here, as you can throw it all in the pot (along with two bay leaves), and let it simmer while you change into slippers, pour a glass of wine, or nibble on a cheese plate. 

Winter officially "arrives" this week, which makes it the perfect time to make a simple cozy soup. Bites of spicy sausage and slurps of flavorful broth will warm you to the bone.

Homestyle Sausage, Potato & Spinach Soup

Published December 19, 2017 by Caitlin Sherwood

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Serves: 8   |    Total Time: 30 minutes

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Ingredients:

• 1 large yellow onion, diced
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 stalks celery, diced small
• 1 tablespoon coconut oil 
• 4 sausages (about 1/2 pound); I used Teton Waters Ranch Hot Links (available at Costco) but you can experiment here. Try kielbasa or spicy Italian to mix it up!
• 2 cups new potatoes, quartered 
• 2 large carrots, diced small
• 2 bay leaves
• 4 cups chicken broth
• 1/2 teaspoon black pepper 
• 1/2 teaspoon salt 
• Dash cayenne 
• 1 cup heavy cream 
• 4 cups baby spinach 

Directions:

Instant Pot Instructions:
1. Heat coconut oil in the bottom of your Instant Pot (affiliate link) on the sauté setting. Add diced onion, minced garlic, and celery and sauté, stirring occasionally, for 5 minutes.
2. Slice sausages into bite sized pieces, and add to pot, browning for 3-5 minutes. Then, add potatoes, carrots, bay leaves, broth, pepper, salt and dash of cayenne.
3. Turn Instant Pot to Soup setting, seal lid, and set timer for 10 minutes.
4. When the timer goes off, release pressure and open pot. Stir in spinach and cream. The spinach will wilt from the heat of the soup. Add additional salt & pepper to taste, and serve hot.

Stove Top Instructions:
1. Heat coconut oil in the bottom of a large soup pot over medium-high heat. Add diced onion, minced garlic, and celery and sauté, stirring occasionally, for 5 minutes.
2. Slice sausages into bite sized pieces, and add to pot, browning for 3-5 minutes. Then, add potatoes, carrots, bay leaves, broth, pepper, salt and dash of cayenne.
3. Bring soup to a simmer, and place lid on pot. Simmer for 20 minutes, or until potatoes are tender.
4. Turn off heat and, stir in spinach and cream. The spinach will wilt from the heat of the soup. Add additional salt & pepper to taste, and serve hot.