Sunshine Chicken
This Sunshine Chicken is a flavorful, healthy one skillet dish that is so so easy to make! Just a handful of ingredients too, which is always a plus. There are many versions of this quick curry skillet floating around the internet, some using chicken, some using chick peas, all delicious and simple to make. The beautiful orange color and bright flavor is what gives the dish its “sunshine” name. Packed with chicken, sweet potatoes and chopped red pepper, a jar of red curry paste and a can of unsweetened coconut milk pulls it all together perfectly. This is creamy, healthy comfort food you can whip up in a hurry.
A few months ago I heard a podcaster talking about a recipe she called Sunshine Curry, describing it as a quick and healthy lunch alternative. Honestly, curry in a recipe is something I have oftened steered away from, thinking that I wouldn’t like it. But interestingly enough, every time I eat food with curry in it I end up loving it! So maybe I just haven’t tried enough variations of it in different dishes. Bottom line is I decided to tweak her recipe just a bit and give it a try. Wow! Now this skillet chicken curry is on regular repeat at both my house and my daughter Christine’s house!
Leftover chicken, specifically smoked or barbecued chicken, is wonderful for the base of this dish. A rotisserie chicken is also great, such as the lemon pepper seasoned rotisserie. Sweet potatoes are another ingredient, which you can simply season and roast ahead of time or throw in the skillet raw and allow for a bit more cooking time.
Serve Sunshine Chicken over basmati rice, such as my Simply Perfect Oven Rice with a side of toasted naan bread. This bright and tasty skillet dish has just the right amount of spice. Top with diced mini cucumbers, cilantro, green onion and creamy yogurt. Yum!
Sunshine Chicken
Ingredients
- 2 cups cooked chicken breast I use smoked, bbq or lemon pepper rotisserie chicken breast
- 1-2 large sweet potatoes peeled and cubed
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 large shallot chopped fine
- 1 red bell pepper chopped
- 1 can unsweetened coconute milk
- 1 jar Thai Kitchen red curry paste
- 1/2 cup cilantro chopped
- zest of one lime
- cooked basmati rice for serving
- chopped green onions, chopped baby cucumbers, chopped cilantro, sour cream or yogurt for topping
Instructions
- If desired, pre cook diced sweet potatoes:Season lightly with garlic salt and pepper and drizzle with olive oil. Bake in a 375° oven for about 10 minutes until almost done but still firm. They will continue cooking in skillet.
- In a medium sized skillet over medium heat, heat up olive oil and add the red bell pepper. Season lightly with salt and pepper and cook a couple of minutes. Then add shallot and cook a minute or so longer.
- Add the chicken, can of coconut milk, and jar of curry paste. Stir and let heat up over medium heat for a few minutes. This is when I start cooking my rice to serve the Sunshine Chicken over. Once you get your rice in the oven, add sweet potatoes to the skillet, turn heat down to low and gently stir.
- Simmer together for another 10 minutes or so until hot and bubbly. Stir in the lime zest and cilantro and combine well.
- Top with chopped baby cucumbers, green onions, additional cilantro, lime juice and sour cream or yogurt. Enjoy!