Cashew Korma-Braised Chicken Thighs with Carrots & Garlic Rice

Step 1

1 Prepare the ingredients Remove the honey from the refrigerator to bring to room temperature. Wash and dry the fresh produce. Peel and roughly chop 2 cloves of garlic. Peel the carrots; halve lengthwise, then thinly slice crosswise. Thinly slice the scallions, separating the white bottoms and hollow green tops. Cut off and discard the stem of the pepper. Halve lengthwise; remove the ribs and seeds, then large dice. Quarter the lime. Roughly chop the cashews.

Step 2

2 Make the garlic rice In a small pot, heat 2 teaspoons of olive oil on medium-high until hot. Add the chopped garlic; season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring constantly, 30 seconds to 1 minute, or until softened. Add the rice, a big pinch of salt, and 1 cup of water (carefully, as the liquid may splatter); stir to combine. Heat to boiling on high. Once boiling, reduce the heat to low. Cover and cook, without stirring, 13 to 15 minutes, or until the water has been absorbed and the rice is tender. Turn off the heat and fluff with a fork.

Step 3

3 Brown the chicken Meanwhile, pat the chicken dry with paper towels; season with salt and pepper on both sides. In a medium pan (nonstick, if you have one), heat 2 teaspoons of olive oil on medium-high until hot. Add the seasoned chicken. Cook 2 to 3 minutes per side, or until lightly browned. Leaving any browned bits (or fond) in the pan, transfer to a plate.

Step 4

4 Brown the vegetables In the pan of reserved fond, heat 2 teaspoons of olive oil on medium-high until hot. Add the sliced carrots, sliced white bottoms of the scallions, and diced pepper; season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, 3 to 4 minutes, or until lightly browned and softened.

Step 5

5 Braise the chicken & serve your dish To the pan of browned vegetables, add the browned chicken, korma sauce, peanut butter spread, soy sauce, honey (kneading the packet before opening), and 1/2 cup of water (carefully, as the liquid may splatter). Stir to combine. Heat to boiling on high. Once boiling, reduce the heat to medium-low and loosely cover the pan with foil. Cook, without stirring, 3 to 5 minutes, or until the liquid is slightly thickened and the chicken is cooked through.* Turn off the heat; stir in the juice of 2 lime wedges. Taste, then season with salt and pepper if desired. Serve the braised chicken and vegetables with the garlic rice. Garnish with the sliced green tops of the scallions and chopped cashews. Serve the remaining lime wedges on the side. Enjoy!*An instant-read thermometer should register 165°F.