On my foodie quest as a food blogger, I am constantly trying to come up with new recipes that I can share.  It is a full time job and one that I enjoy immensely, particularly when a recipe that I have made up is a success!  Thai marinated chicken thigh fillets, pan seared and served on a bed of creamy, green curry rice and topped with a crunchy garnish of bean sprouts and herbs…….an easy, scrummy, mid-week meal with a difference. Yum!

Prep time:  20  Minutes               Cooking time:  40  Minutes                  $  Low Budget

Serves 4

Peanut oil for frying (vegetable or canola if there are peanut allergies in the family!)

8 chicken thigh fillets, excess fat trimmed (I prefer free range)

1 bunch of coriander, stems and leaves separated and leaves reserved for rice and garnish

1 lemongrass stalk, pale section only

2 spring onions, white part only (green part reserved for garnish)

2cm piece of ginger, peeled and roughly chopped

2 cloves of garlic, peeled and roughly chopped

1 green chilli, roughly chopped

2 tbs of fish sauce (soy is fine if you dislike fish sauce)

Juice of 1/2 a lime

1 tbs of brown sugar

For the Rice:

11/2 cups of jasmine rice

1 tbs of green curry paste

270ml tin of coconut milk

180ml of water

1 tbs of fish sauce

1 tsp of brown sugar

Juice of 1/2 a lime

100gm of snow peas, tops removed and finely julienned

1 cup of coriander leaves, roughly chopped

For the Garnish:

2 cups of bean sprouts

1 cup of coriander leaves, roughly chopped

Reserved green onions, finely sliced diagonally

Lime wedges to serve

Place the coriander stems (washed thoroughly), lemongrass, green chilli, ginger, garlic, spring onion, fish sauce, lime juice and sugar in a food processor and pulse until you have a nice paste.  Pour the marinade over the thigh fillets in a shallow dish and massage the marinade into the fillets.  Cover and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes.

Preheat the oven to 180°.

Heat a large heavy based frypan and add a little peanut oil.  When really hot, fry the thigh fillets in batches and transfer to a baking dish when golden and caramelised.  Place the thigh fillets in the oven for 20 minutes.

Place the rice, coconut milk, water, green curry paste, lime juice fish sauce and sugar in a large saucepan.  Stir well to combine and bring to a simmer.  Once simmering, cover with a tight fitting lid and allow the rice to absorb the liquid for 12 minutes.  Turn the heat off and allow to rest (lid on) for at least 5 minutes.

Place the snow peas in a small, heat proof bowl and cover with boiling water.  Soak for 3-4 minutes and then drain.  Take the lid off the rice and add the snow peas and coriander leaves.  Mix well and fluff the rice with a fork.  It will be nice and creamy.

Place the bean sprouts, coriander and spring onions in a small bowl and toss well to combine.

To serve, divide the rice among four serving plates.  Remove the chicken from the oven and pile 2 of the fillets on each plate. Do not discard the juices!  Top each plate with a handful of the crunchy garnish and drizzle over the juices from the chicken tray.  Serve with lime wedges if you wish……Deeeeevine!