the Older Bolder Friday Feast 1 March: Coconut Curry Braised Chicken Legs

With much of the country is still hip deep in winter today, let’s talk about a warm, rich, tasty, and easy dinner to get on the table tonight – Coconut Curry Braised Chicken Legs.

Braised foods score big points on so many fronts. Braising allows one to take a humble cut of meat, one packed with tooth and connective tissue, and with the magical application of gentle heat, time, and liquid to convey both heat and flavor, turn that protein into a tender, moist, deeply flavored delight.

Probably my most remembered home dish from childhood was a beer-braised brisket; we have several great brisket recipes, but that’s the one we keep going back to. And how about those Thai-inspired Slow Roasted Short Ribs from a few weeks back? By the way, I just did a chuck roast using that recipe, and it was astoundingly good (post in the queue already).

My professional photographer daughter has been braising chicken legs in coconut milk and curry for years, and we’ve lately been using this amped up Coconut Curry Braised Chicken Leg recipe as later winter battles early spring here in North Texas.

We like spicy, full-flavored food, of course you can ramp up or tone down the spices in this recipe, but remember the chicken legs are a mildly-flavored blank slate here. This recipe yields big results for about 10 minutes prep time before it slides into the oven…

1 can full-fat unsweetened coconut milk
2-4 tbsp prepared Thai curry paste
1-3 lemongrass stalks, outer layer peeled, crushed (see note above)
2-3 inch piece of fresh ginger, peeled, coarsely grated
4-6 garlic cloves, crushed
4 chicken legs (thigh+drumstick)
Good salt to taste

Optional
1-2 chopped serrano or jalapeno peppers
1-2 tsp fish sauce
1 tsp brown sugar

To serve
Chopped cilantro leaves and tender stems
Lime wedges and/or zest
Toasted unsweetened coconut flakes
Cauliflower rice

Prep the chicken, lightly season with salt and set aside. Preheat the oven to 400.

Stir the coconut milk, curry paste, and grated ginger together in a baking dish large enough to hold the 4 chicken legs. Add the lemongrass and garlic, then add the chicken legs and spoon the mixture over.

Bake for 60-75 minutes (depends on the size of the legs), basting with the cooking liquid/sauce every 15 minutes until the chicken is browned and cooked through (the joint will move fairly easily).

Plate, spoon some sauce over, and top with the cilantro, zest, and coconut flakes.

Enjoy.