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Coconut Curried Chicken

Active Work Time: 15 minutes

Total Preparation Time: 30 minutes

    1/2 teaspoon salt
    1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
    1/4 teaspoon ground coriander
    1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
    1/4 teaspoon ground turmeric
    4 boneless chicken thighs (about 3/4 pound)
    1/4 cup shredded coconut
    1 tablespoon oil
    2 serrano chiles, diced
    1 onion, minced
    3 cloves garlic, minced
    1 cup coconut milk
    2 tablespoons lime juice
Heat the oven to 350 degrees. Combine the salt, cumin, coriander, cayenne and turmeric in a small bowl. Rub the mixture onto the chicken and let stand 5 minutes.

Meanwhile, spread the coconut on a baking sheet and toast until golden brown, stirring once, 5 minutes. Remove it from the oven and set aside. Increase the oven temperature to 400 degrees.

Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the chicken and cook until evenly browned, about 3 minutes a side. Transfer the chicken to a baking dish and bake until the chicken is cooked through, about 6 to 8 minutes.

While the chicken is in the oven, add the chiles, onion and garlic to the skillet. Cook, stirring constantly, until the onion and chiles have softened, about 4 minutes. Add the coconut milk and lime juice and cook until reduced by about 1/4, about 4 minutes.

Return the chicken to the skillet and spoon the sauce over the top. Cook over medium-low heat 2 minutes. Serve the chicken over the Cilantro-Mint Rice. Top with the toasted coconut.

2 servings. Each serving, chicken only: 694 calories; 872 mg sodium; 132 mg cholesterol; 53 grams fat; 27 grams saturated fat; 19 grams carbohydrates; 39 grams protein; 2.42 grams fiber.


Cilantro-Mint Rice

Active Work Time: 5 minutes
Total Preparation Time: 20 minutes
    2 cups water or chicken broth
    1 teaspoon salt
    1 cup rice
    2 tablespoons minced cilantro
    2 tablespoons minced mint
Bring the water or chicken broth to a boil over medium-high heat. Add the salt and rice, stir, reduce the heat to low and cook, covered, until the rice is tender and the liquid has been absorbed, about 15 minutes. Stir in the cilantro and mint.

2 to 3 servings. Each of 3 servings: 129 calories; 839 mg sodium; 0 cholesterol; 1 gram fat; 0 saturated fat; 26 grams carbohydrates; 4 grams protein; 1.21 grams fiber.


--MAYI BRADY, Times Staff Writer