RECIPE FOR THAI COCONUT CHICKEN SOUP RECIPES

Steps:

• For the sauce: In a medium bowl, combine all of the sauce ingredients, whisk until thoroughly combined and set aside.
• For the chicken: Cook the whole wheat linguine al dente according to box directions. Drain and rinse under cold water and spray lightly with olive oil cooking spray so it does not stick and set aside.
• Coat a large nonstick skillet with cooking spray and add onions. Cook until translucent and beginning to brown, about 5 to 10 minutes. Add the chicken, season with salt and pepper and stir in curry powder. Saute chicken until lightly brown. Add the peanut butter and allow it to melt to coat the chicken.
• Add the roasted red peppers, water chestnuts and scallions and season with salt and pepper as you like. Saute for a few minutes just to release flavor.
• Pour the coconut curry sauce over the chicken and vegetables and stir gently. Cook just until warmed through and thickened a bit, about 3 to 5 minutes. Season with salt and pepper, as needed. Garnish with chopped mint and cilantro. Serve with lime wedges, if desired.
• SUZY'S SERVING OPTIONS: (Serves four or more ? can be doubled easily)
• Family Style ? Put linguine in a large deep platter or decorative bowl and pour mixture over the top. Toss gently with tongs. Garnish with fresh lime juice, and chopped scallions or herbs.
• Low Carb Diets ? On a large dinner plate place Boston lettuce leaves in a fan covering the entire plate. Place 1/4 of the chicken mixture on top and drizzle with fresh lime juice and garnish with scallions. The sauce will form a natural salad dressing for the lettuce.
• Individual Plates: Each serving is 2 oz. dry pasta and 1/4 of the chicken mixture. Garnish it with fresh lime juice, a lime wedge and scallions or herbs. Serve it on a small exotic plate for added presentation.
• NOTE: You may substitute shrimp or tofu for the chicken and it is equally delicious!!

Steps:

• Place the chicken stock in a heavy-bottomed pot over high heat. Add the lime peel, lemon peel, ginger root, green chiles, and the cilantro stems and roots. Bring to a boil, turn down to a simmer and cook until reduced to 3 cups. Press occasionally on the solids with a wooden spoon to release flavor. Working with a sharp knife, cut the chicken breasts into broad slices, as thin as possible. Salt lightly, and reserve in refrigerator. When broth is reduced, strain into a measuring cup. Press on the solids in the strainer with a wooden spoon. Place the coconut milk in the soup pot over medium heat. Slowly stir in the reduced broth. Warm rapidly but do not allow to boil (otherwise the coconut milk will separate). When the soup is just below the boiling point, add the chicken slices. Remove from heat after 30 seconds (or when the chicken is just cooked through). Just before serving, mix together the lime juice and sugar in a small bowl. Blend in the fish sauce. Pour mixture into hot soup, season to taste and garnish soup with a little bit of chopped scallion and cilantro leaves. Yield: 6 first-course servings.
• Optional step: If your soup has curdled a bit, or if you'd like a fluffier texture in the soup, before you add the chicken, place the soup in a blender at high speed for 30 seconds. Then return to pot, add chicken and proceed as before. As an appetizer: Looks lovely served individually in six wide, shallow soup bowls. Great starter for many kinds of meals, not just Thai. As a main course: By doubling the amount of chicken and keeping the same amount of liquid, you convert this soup practically into a stew. The six wide, shallow bowls still work well; place a half-cup of steamed white rice to one side in each bowl, then divide the soup/stew among the bowls. Serve a tomato salad on the side that has been dressed with lime juice, sugar, fish sauce, and topped with chopped peanuts and minced cilantro. If you can get the Thai ingredients: for the lime and lemon peel, substitute 3/8 cup Keffir lime leaves, 2 lemon grass stalks chopped, 3 thick slices dried galanga root.