Panang curry has always been a favourite of mine and with 'Brothy Rice' trending on socials, I thought why not combine the two. This warming bowl of brothy Panang rice and crispy chicken is full of flavour, spice and everything nice; don't come for me when you're going in for seconds.
ingredients:
Crispy Chicken
chicken marinade:
- 250g chicken thigh - cut into bite-sized pieces
- 1 tbsp light soy sauce
- 1/2 tbsp mirin
- 1/2 tsp garlic powder
- 1/2 tsp ginger paste
- pinch black pepper
chicken dredge
- around 1 cup cornstarch or potato starch
sticky sweet glaze
- 2 tbsp sambal or your favourite chilli oil
- 1/2 tbsp light soy sauce
- 2 sugar/honey
- 1-2 tbsp water (adjust according to how thick you'd like the glaze)
- 1 tsp lime juice
garlic chips
- 1-2 garlic cloves, sliced (either by hand or using a mandolin)
- 1 tbsp neutral oil
Brothy Panang Curry
- 1 tbsp neutral oil or garlic oil (fry garlic slices in oil until they start to brown, then reserve the oil for curry)
- 1 tbsp Panang curry paste
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- ½ inch ginger, mince
- Red chilli
- 220ml Coconut milk
- 450ml Chicken broth (add more if want more brothy)
- 1 tbsp fish sauce
- 1/2 - 1 tbsp sugar
- 1/2 lime, juiced
extras:
- cooked rice (I used short grain rice but jasmine rice would pair nicely)
- coriander, chopped
- spring onion, chopped
- cucumber, sliced
- crispy onions
- green chilli
method:
- Marinate chicken - Add the chicken pieces to a bowl and marinate with the marinade ingredients for at least 30 minutes to let the flavours infuse.
- Coat the chicken - Once marinated, coat each chicken piece in cornstarch or potato starch, making sure they're generously coated and that you pack in the flour by squeezing it gently in your hand
- Airfry the chicken - Place the coated chicken pieces in your airfryer basket or wirerack in a single layer - this ensures the pieces crisp up nicely. Spray some oil over the chicken and cook 200°C for 18-20 minutes, making sure to flip halfway.
- Make garlic chips - While the chicken is cooking, in a big saucepan or wok, add the neutral oil, garlic slices and turn on the heat to medium. Fry the garlic pieces until they start to brown, this can take around 3-5 minutes. Once it starts to look golden brown, strain the oil into a bowl - we'll be using this later - and let the garlic chips cool over a paper towel, they will continue to cook as they cool.
- Fry panang paste - In the same saucepan or wok over medium heat, add the garlic flavoured neutral oil followed by the minced garlic and ginger. Saute the aromatics for a few seconds before adding in the panang curry paste. Fry the paste for 2-3 minutes or until the paste darkens slightly and looks a bit dry
- Cook off some coconut milk - Add in around 1/4 of the coconut milk and mix that into the paste until it combines and you start to see the oils separate.
- Build the broth - Add the remaining coconut milk, chicken broth, fish sauce, sugar, lime juice and gently simmer for 10-15 minutes. Then taste and adjust to liking.
- Cook glaze for chicken - In a sauce pan, add sambal (or chilli oil), sugar, water and lime juice. Simmer for 3 minutes or until the sauce starts to thicken, taste and adjust to liking.
- Coat the crispy chicken - Once the chicken pieces are cooked, add them into a bowl, pour the thicken glaze all over and give it a good toss until coated.
- Serve up and enjoy - On your plate, add cooked rice in the centre and ladle over your brothy panang curry followed by chopped spring onions, coriander, cucumber slices, your glazed chicken, lime wedge and crispy onions.
notes:
- Any leftover broth can be kept in the fridge for up to 3 days and can definitely be used for a noodle soup, yum!
