Coconut Peanut Chicken with Sweet Potato

Just completed the first draft of a book proposal for easeful whole-food eating. YEAH! So, I’ve been reading the amazing food meisters around the net to hear the consensus for quick & easy weeknight dinners. I agree with what I found; two pans max, about 40 minutes of active work max (which does not include the time your sauce simmers away or time in the oven). Leftovers are good. Happy times, because that’s how I cook.
Here is a skillet chicken recipe that is just that: easy, one pan, really flavorful, and great leftovers. The sauce will be lovely over veggies and the chicken will be wonderful tomorrow if you can resist eating it all tonight.
This recipe serves 2, with leftover sauce

Ingredients

• 2 organic chicken thighs, skin-on
• 1/2 large yellow or sweet vidalia onion, chopped
• 1 – 13.5 oz can coconut milk
• 2-3 Tbsp fresh ginger, peeled
• 3 Tbsp fresh cilantro – stalks (for sauce) plus a few whole sprigs for garnish
• 1/4 c peanut butter
• 1 tsp hot chili sauce
• 1 sweet potato – peeled and cubed

Directions

In a large skillet turned to high, add onions and sear the chicken thighs, skin-down first (to get some fat in the pan). About 10 minutes. Turn down to medium-low, add sweet potato, cover and simmer 15 minutes.
In a blender, pour coconut milk, ginger, cilantro, and blend until smooth. Run through a sieve (to remove some of the ginger woody pulp) into a medium bowl, add peanut butter and chili sauce, and whisk until smooth.
Add sauce to skillet mixture and simmer another 15-20 minutes.
Top with springs of cilantro and enjoy.

Notes

This recipe is easy to expand; you can easily toss in 2 more chicken thighs, or another sweet potato, depending on what you want for leftovers and how many mouths you are feeding tonight. Or, just double the whole recipe.  You’ll be getting into 2-pan territory if you do that unless you have a really large skillet.
For all my recipes, I suggest using the cleanest ingredients you can find and afford. So, grass-fed organic chicken (and other meats and eggs) is always best, organic or bio-dynamic herbs and vegetables are best, though consulting the Environmental Working Group’s Clean 15/Dirty dozen list can be helpful if buying all organic will send you to the poor house (or make your house the poor house). Across the board, using ingredients in their most whole form will usually give you the most nutrition. So, if you can grind your own peanut butter from organic peanuts, excellent. If you grow your own herbs, lovely. If not, just do the best you can and worry not about it. Every single ingredient has a whole-to-refined story (unfortunately), so it is hard to keep up. I do find that if you invest time and energy into eating a little cleaner and a little simpler, you will begin to see changes. Keep going!
Enjoy!
Annie