Mandarin Orange Chicken Coconut Curry with Ramen Noodles
Spicy. Sweet. Succulent. Delicious! Thinly sliced pieces of chicken breasts immersed in the juicy sweetness of Satsuma Mandarin oranges, tossed in lots of fresh minced garlic, coated with cayenne pepper, lightly dried basil, Thai red curry paste and surprise, surprise-garam masala! The impromptu combination of all these flavors, spices and ingredients is captivating, unique and so perfectly balanced. One of the best bites of tender chicken drenched in a spicy coconut curry sauce twirled around chewy brown rice Ramen noodles. Cozy + Yummy comfort food at its finest!
Servings: 6
Ingredients
For Chicken Marinade
- 3 lb chicken breasts *thinly sliced
- 6 garlic cloves *minced
- 2 tsp Thai red curry paste
- 1 tsp garam masala *Rajah brand
- 1 tsp cayenne pepper
- 1 tsp Kosher salt
- ½ tsp black pepper *freshly cracked
- 1 tsp basil *Gourmet Garden brand, lightly dried
- 2 Mandarin oranges *Satsuma Mandarin oranges, freshly squeezed
- 1 tbsp olive oil *EVOO
For Coconut Curry sauce
- 2 tbsp cooking oil *vegetable or Canola
- 2 medium yellow onions *thinly sliced
- 15 mini peppers *red, orange, yellow-halved, deseeded
- 2 tsp Thai red chili paste
- 6 garlic cloves *minced
- ½ tsp black pepper *freshly cracked
- ½ tsp garam masala
- ½ tsp cayenne pepper
- ½ tsp basil *Gourmet Garden brand, lightly dried
- 1 tsp Kosher salt
- 26 oz coconut milk *2-13 oz cans full fat
Other Ingredients
- 4 3 oz Ramen noodle slabs *I used Lotus Foods brand Organic Millet and Brown Rice Ramen
Instructions
For Marinating Chicken
- Rinse, pat dry and thinly slice chicken breasts. Place chicken in a large mixing bowl. Add minced garlic, lightly dried basil leaves, Thai red chili paste, cayenne pepper, freshly cracked black pepper, garam masala, Kosher salt and oil. Mix well and massage chicken pieces for 2-3 minutes. Cover and let marinate for at least 30 minutes (or overnight in fridge is fine too!)
For Coconut Curry sauce
- Heat Instant Pot on 'Sauté mode.' Once preheated, add oil and sliced onions and sauté onions for 10 minutes. Add minced garlic, mix well and cook for an additional 5 minutes, mixing as needed. Add the halved mini sweet peppers, mix and cook for 7-10 minutes until peppers are softened. Now add Thai chili paste, mix and continue to sauté for an additional 2-3 minutes. Pour coconut milk into onions/peppers mixture, mix and add remaining spices (lightly dried basil leaves, cayenne pepper, freshly cracked black pepper, garam masala and Kosher salt). Stir well, continue to sauté for 5 minutes, change Instant Pot mode to 'Soup/Broth,' lock lid in place and simmer for 15 minutes. Once timer is done, let rest and vent for at least 5 minutes before carefully removing lid.
- While curry sauce is simmering in Instant Pot, heat a large skillet on high heat. Add marinated chicken and cook chicken on high heat for 10 minutes until chicken changes color to golden brown.
- Once coconut curry sauce has rested in Instant Pot and steam vented, uncover pot and add the partially cooked chicken (with all juices). Mix well, turn mode to 'Pressure Cook," secure lid and cook for 15 minutes. Carefully vent steam, uncover lid, add Ramen noodles (about 4 slabs of dried Ramen noodles), gently mix to coat noodles with curry and continue to 'Sauté' until noodles are cooked through (5-7 minutes), gently stirring as needed to break apart noodles. *Noodles may become too soft in the Instant Pot so it may be a good idea to boil Ramen noodles in a separate pot per package instructions, drain, let slightly cool and then add to coconut chicken curry.*
- Simply succulent Mandarin Orange Chicken Coconut Curry with Ramen Noodles is now ready to indulge. You can also serve the finished chicken curry with plain Basmati rice if you prefer. Enjoy! Nosh Farma'aiye.