Lemongrass Chicken with Rice & Zucchini

Lemongrass Chicken with Rice & Zucchini

Oh, friends, this Lemongrass Chicken recipe is DELICIOUS! I highly recommend trying it.

It's incredibly flavorful and immensely satisfying.

Here's how I tweaked the recipe:

I used rotisserie chicken to cut down on time
I bought fresh lemongrass and prepared it like this (you can find lemongrass in the produce section of larger grocery stores)
I used jarred mild jalapeno slices instead of fresh
I served over jasmine rice and topped it with sauteed zucchini

Enjoy!

Ingredients:

CHICKEN:

1.5 lbs boneless skinless chicken thighs
1 teaspoon paprika
garlic powder, onion powder, salt, and pepper to taste
olive oil

LEMONGRASS SAUCE:

3 cloves garlic, minced
1 jalapeno, ribs and seeds removed (optional), minced
1-inch knob of ginger, grated or minced
2 tablespoons lemongrass or lemongrass paste
1 tablespoon brown sugar
14-ounce can unsweetened coconut cream (similar to coconut milk, but NOT the same as cream of coconut, which is sweetened)
juice and zest of one lime
salt, to taste

SERVE WITH:

cilantro and/or basil, chopped
rice
zucchini or broccoli

Instructions:

Cook the chicken: Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium high heat. Add the chicken thighs, sprinkle with spices, and cook for 8-10 minutes until cooked through. Remove from pan. Once cooled, shred / pull into small bite-sized pieces.
Make the lemongrass sauce: Add the garlic, jalapeño, and ginger to the chicken pan (you don’t have to wipe it out – save all those good flavors). Sauté until fragrant. Add the lemongrass and brown sugar; stir to combine. Add coconut cream and bring to a low, gentle simmer. Season with lime zest, lime juice, and salt.
Finish: Add chicken back in to the sauce. Stir in some fresh cilantro or basil just before serving. Serve over rice with any veggies that you like (see zucchini directions in the Notes section).

NOTES:

To make the zucchini: Cut two zucchini into coins, toss with olive oil and salt and pepper, and arrange in a layer on a baking sheet. Bake for 10-15 minutes at 450 degrees.

For the chicken, I prefer it to be a little more roughly chopped rather than perfectly cut pieces, so I like to do a combination of shredding and then run my knife once or twice through the whole pile of shredded chicken. The amount of oil you use with the chicken as well as the length of time that you cook it will both affect the overall creaminess of the sauce. More oil in the pan = thinner sauce. I normally use about 1 tablespoon of oil with the sautéing of the chicken, and I let the chicken cook until it’s very browned on the outside, leaving almost no oil left in the pan (just delicious browned bits stuck to the bottom, which get pulled up again when you build the sauce in the pan).

Instant Pot instructions: 1. Add the chicken, seasonings, and lemongrass sauce ingredients (except for the coconut cream) to the Instant Pot. 2. Pour in 1/4 cup of water, cover, and cook on high pressure for 12 minutes. 3. Release the steam, shred the chicken, and stir in the coconut cream. 4. Let the chicken sit for a few minutes to thicken up and enjoy!

Recipe Source