Thai Red Curry Meal Prep
The chicken gets a hard sear first for colour, then finishes cooking through in the curry itself, so it picks up flavour from both the pan and the sauce.
Blooming the red curry paste properly in the oil before the coconut milk goes in is where most of the flavour in this dish actually comes from.
Bell pepper, broccolini and edamame keep it fresh, jasmine rice underneath, five containers ready for the week.
Thai Red Chicken Curry Meal Prep
CHICKEN · MEAL PREP · EASY
Real depth, built in stages
Searing the chicken first, even though it isn't fully cooked at that stage, builds colour and flavour that a straight simmer in the sauce wouldn't give you.
Letting the curry paste cook out properly in the oil with the garlic and ginger before the coconut milk goes in is what stops the sauce tasting flat and raw.
Coconut-based curries generally hold up well in the freezer, so this one's a genuinely solid batch-cook option.
Vietnamese Chicken Wings
Ingredients
Chicken & Marinade
- 1 kg Chicken Wings Drumettes & Wingettes
- 8 g Onion Powder
- 8 g Garlic Powder
- 15 ml Fish Sauce
- 5 g Salt
- 2 g Ground Black Pepper
Sauce
- 30 ml Peanut or Neutral Oil
- 5 Garlic Cloves Minced
- 2 Shallots Finely Diced
- 50 g Brown Sugar
- 60 ml Fish Sauce
- 1 Long Red Chilli Minced
- ½ Lime Juiced
- 3 Spring Onions Sliced
Batter
- 1 Cup Cornflour Cornstarch
- 1 tsp Baking Powder
- Neutral Oil For Frying
Garnish
- Long Red Chilli Minced
- Spring Onion Sliced
- Lime Wedge
- Coriander Torn
- Mint Torn
Method
- Pat the chicken wings dry, then add them to a large bowl with the onion powder, garlic powder, fish sauce, sea salt flakes, and black pepper. Toss well, cover, and marinate in the fridge for at least 1 hour, or up to 24 hours.
- Add the cornflour and baking powder to a separate bowl and mix well. Add the marinated wings a few at a time, leaving behind any excess marinade, and toss until well coated. Place onto a tray or plate.
- Add the peanut oil and shallots to a saucepan over medium-high heat, starting with the oil cold. Cook for 2 minutes, stirring often, until the shallots are just starting to brown. Add the brown sugar, fish sauce, and garlic. Mix well and bring to a boil.
- Reduce the heat to low and simmer for 10 minutes, stirring often, until the sauce has thickened and turned glossy. Stir through the lime juice and spring onion, then remove from the heat and keep warm.
- Add enough vegetable oil to a large, high-rimmed pan to fry the wings. Heat the oil to 160°C (320°F).
- Fry the wings in batches for 6 minutes, until lightly golden. Remove and drain on a wire rack. Increase the oil temperature to 180°C (350°F), then fry the wings again in batches for 1-2 minutes, until deeply golden, crispy, and cooked through to an internal temperature of 74°C (165°F). Remove and drain again.
- Add the crispy wings to a large bowl with the warm sauce and toss until completely coated.
- Serve straight away with fresh chilli, spring onion, coriander, mint, and lime. Dig in.
Why sear the chicken first if it's not fully cooked yet?⌄
It builds colour and flavour before it finishes cooking through in the curry sauce itself. Both stages contribute to the final flavour.
Can I use a different curry paste heat level?⌄
Yes, red curry pastes vary a fair bit in heat between brands. Start with a little less than the recipe calls for and add more once you've tasted the sauce.
Can I use frozen vegetables instead of fresh bell pepper and broccolini?⌄
Yes, frozen works fine here since everything's simmering in the sauce anyway. They may release a little extra water, so simmer a touch longer if the sauce looks thin.
Are the lime leaves necessary?⌄
They're optional here, added whole to the rice for a subtle citrus fragrance. Leave them out if you can't find them, the fresh lime juice in the curry still brings plenty of brightness.
