Vietnamese Chicken Curry (Ca Ri Ga)

Vietnamese chicken curry (cà ri gà) is a dish that I grew up eating as a child. It’s a bowl of cozy comfort packed with curry and lemongrass flavors. I could eat bowls and bowls of this with LOTS of freshly toasted baguette slices for dipping. Any cut of chicken can be used in this curry, I typically go with chicken thighs or chicken breasts, depending on what’s in the fridge. Although there is some wait time involved with marinating the chicken, and prepping the veggies, this curry is well worth it every time.

SERVES: 6
PREP TIME: 2 HRS COOK TIME: 1 HRS TOTAL TIME: 3 HRS

Ingredients

• 2 pounds chicken, any cut
• 2 teaspoons salt
• 2 teaspoons onions powder
• 2 tablespoons curry powder
• 1 1/2 pounds potatoes
• 1/2 pound carrots
• Frying oil
• 1 onion, diced
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 stalks lemongrass, cut into 5 inch pieces, split lengthwise, and smashed to expose more leaves
• 3 bay leaves
• 2 teaspoons sugar
• 2-3 cups chicken broth
• 2-3 cups water
• 1/2 cup coconut milk

Instructions

1. Cut the chicken into bite sized pieces. In a medium bowl, combine the chicken, salt, onion powder, and curry powder. Marinate for 2 hours. 

2. Cut the potatoes and carrots into bite sized chunks and deep fry for a few minutes until they are lightly browned. This helps them hold their shape later in the cooking process. Set aside. 

3. After marinating, sauté the chicken in a large pot until golden on all sides. Remove from the pot, drain any excess fat, and remove any residue from the pot. 

4. Over medium heat, add some oil and the onions to the pot. Stir fry until soft, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic. Stir fry until fragrant, about 30 seconds. 

5. Add the chicken, lemongrass, bay leaves, and sugar to the pot. 

6. Add equal amounts of chicken broth and water to the pot to cover all the ingredients. 

7. Bring to a boil. Once boiling, lower the heat to a simmer. Taste and adjust with salt, sugar, and curry powder to taste if needed. 

8. Add the potatoes and carrots, along with equal amounts of chicken broth and water to over all the ingredients. 

9. Bring to a boil. Once boiling, lower the heat to a simmer and allow to simmer until chicken is fully cooked, and veggies are tender. 

10. Stir in the coconut milk and bring back to a boil. Once boiling, remove from heat. 

11. Serve with freshly toasted sliced baguettes.