Ginger-Coconut Chicken with Vegetables

Ingredients:

• 2 large chicken breasts

• 1 1/2 tbsp vegetable oil

• 1 shallot, chopped

• 1 tbsp grated ginger

• 1 large garlic cloves, grated

• 1 sprig rosemary, chopped

• 1 sprig thyme, chopped

• 1/2 tsp ground turmeric (optional)

• 1 small hot pepper, chopped (or 1/2 tsp pepper flakes)

• 1 1/2 cups coconut milk

• 1/4 cup chicken stock

• zest and juice of 1 lemon or lime

• salt to taste

• 1 1/2 cups West Indian flat beans or sugar snap peas - trimmed and halved

• 1 cup corn

• Jasmine brown rice for serving

• chopped tomatoes for garnish

1. Trim chicken breast of any fat; wash and pat dry. Season with salt.

2. Heat a large skillet (with a lid) on medium-low heat. Add oil and brown chicken on both sides for about 2 minutes per side. Cover pan and cook chicken for an additional 2 to 3 minutes per side; depending on thickness. Chicken should feel springy to the touch. Remove breast from pan, leaving behind any liquid, and cover with foil to keep warm.

3. Cook shallot in the pan for 2 to 3 minutes. Add ginger, garlic, pepper, turmeric, rosemary and thyme; cook for an additional minute or two, scraping up all bits from the bottom of the pan.

4. Pour coconut milk in pan, cover and bring to a boil.

5. Add beans and corn to milk, season with salt. Cover and cook until beans are crisp-tender, 3 minutes.

6. Add chicken, lemon juice and lemon zest to pan; cover and cook for 2 to 3 minutes.

7. Serve over rice and garnish with tomatoes.

Notes&Tips:

• This was an easy recipe that can be cooked and served on week nights. The chicken breast cooks up quickly. Because of this, be sure not to overcook the breasts or it will be dry and rubbery. My chicken breast were large and the stated cook time was perfect. The meat was moist and tender. If your breasts are small in size, please adjust cooking time. Tenderloins can also be used for this recipe, but once again adjust your cooking time.

• As you will note, I have turmeric as an optional spice. Turmeric is what gives this dish its yellow color, otherwise it will be white, since you're using coconut milk for the sauce. If you'd prefer the whiteness of the coconut milk on the rice, then you can omit this spice.

• West Indian flat beans, Papdi beans, Valore beans, Indian broad beans, and Saame are all the different names for this beans that is scientifically known as Dolichos lablab. This bean can be used in many of the same ways that you would use sugar snap peas. However, it does not have such a big crunch like sugar snap and very bland. It was perfect to use in a flavorful dish like this Ginger-Coconut Chicken and Vegetables.