Thai Red Curry Chicken

Ingredients

1 tablespoon coconut oil, vegetable oil or olive oil
4 garlic cloves, peeled and minced
1- inch piece ginger, peeled and minced
1 small onion or shallot, chopped finely or sliced
2 stalks lemongrass, white parts only cut into 2-4 inch pieces, pounded and bruised
1-2 tablespoons red curry paste depending on how spicy you want the curry
2 14 oz cans full-fat coconut milk
4 Kaffir lime leaves or zest of a lime optional
1 cup chicken broth
3 tablespoons fish sauce
1 teaspoon soy sauce or tamari
2 tablespoons brown sugar
2 carrots, peeled and thinly sliced into ¼-inch thick rounds
4 boneless and skinless chicken breasts, cut into thin slices (bite size)
1 small red bell pepper, cut into thin strips
1 small zucchini, cut into ¼-inch rounds
1-2 cups broccoli florets
4 sprigs Thai basil or regular basil (italian), roughly chopped
¼ cup cilantro, chopped plus more for garnish
Lime wedges for garnishing

In a Dutch oven or large heavy bottom pan, heat the oil over medium-low heat.
Add the garlic, ginger, onions (or shallots) and lemongrass and sauté stirring frequently for about 2-3 minutes or until the onions start to soften and the rest of the ingredients become aromatic. Make sure the garlic doesn’t burn.
Stir in the red curry paste and sauté for about 2 minutes then, stir in the coconut milk, Kaffir lime leaves (optional), chicken broth, fish sauce, soy sauce and brown sugar. Mix to combine.
Bring the mixture to a quick boil, lower the heat and simmer for about 10 minutes or until the sauce thickens a bit.
Add the carrots and chicken and cook for about 5 – 6 minutes or until the chicken is just cooked through. Add the red bell pepper and zucchini and cook for about 4 minutes or until the vegetables soften. Add the broccoli florets, basil and cilantro. Mix well, cover the pot and simmer for about 2 minutes. The broccoli cooks pretty fast so keep an eye on it.
Before serving, remove the lemongrass. To serve, garnish with additional basil and cilantro and lime wedges if desired.