Thai Green Curry Chicken with Jasmine Rice and Baby Bok Choy

Rinse 1.5 cups jasmine rice under cold water in a fine-mesh strainer for 1 minute, stirring gently with your fingers until water runs mostly clear. This removes excess starch for fluffier rice.

In a medium saucepan, bring 2.25 cups water to a boil over high heat. Add the rinsed jasmine rice and 1 pinch of salt, stir once, then reduce heat to low. Cover with a tight-fitting lid and simmer for 15 minutes without lifting the lid. Remove from heat and let stand, covered, for 5 minutes. Fluff gently with a fork and set aside.

While rice cooks, prepare the green curry paste: Trim the stems from 3 fresh Thai green chilies and roughly chop them (wear gloves to avoid skin irritation). Peel and roughly chop 4 garlic cloves. Peel and roughly chop a 1-inch piece of fresh ginger root. Pick leaves from 0.5 cup fresh cilantro, reserving stems.

In a food processor or blender, combine the chopped green chilies, garlic, ginger, cilantro stems, and 3 TBSP of the coconut milk (from the can). Pulse until a smooth paste forms, about 45 seconds. This is your green curry paste. Set aside.

Pat 1.5 lbs boneless, skinless chicken breast dry with paper towels. Cut the chicken into 1.5-inch cubes. Season lightly with salt.

Heat 3 TBSP vegetable oil in a large, heavy-bottomed skillet or wok over medium-high heat for 2 minutes until shimmering. Working in two batches to avoid crowding, add the chicken cubes and sear for 3-4 minutes per side until golden brown on the exterior (the chicken does not need to be cooked through). Transfer seared chicken to a clean plate.

Reduce heat to medium. Add the prepared green curry paste to the hot skillet and cook, stirring constantly, for 2 minutes. This blooms the spices and deepens the flavor. The paste should become fragrant.

Pour the entire 14 oz can of coconut milk into the skillet with the curry paste, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom of the pan. Stir well to combine. Add 2 TBSP fish sauce and 1 TBSP palm sugar, stirring until the sugar dissolves completely.

Return the seared chicken to the skillet with the curry sauce. Stir gently to coat all pieces. Bring to a gentle simmer over medium heat and cook uncovered for 8-10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the chicken is cooked through (internal temperature reaches 165°F/74°C when checked with a meat thermometer).

While the curry simmers, prepare the baby bok choy: Rinse 1 lb baby bok choy under cold water. Trim the root ends by about 0.5 inch and discard any yellowed or damaged leaves. Cut each head lengthwise in half (or quarters if very large), keeping the root end intact so the leaves stay connected.

In the final 3 minutes of curry cooking, add the prepared baby bok choy to the skillet, nestling the pieces into the sauce. Simmer for 2-3 minutes until the bok choy is tender-crisp and the leaves are slightly wilted but still maintain some texture.

Taste the curry and adjust seasoning: Cut 1 lime in half and squeeze the juice into the curry (about 2 TBSP). Stir in the reserved cilantro leaves. Add more fish sauce for saltiness, lime juice for brightness, or palm sugar for sweetness as needed.

Divide the cooked jasmine rice evenly among 4 serving bowls. Ladle the curry with chicken and bok choy over the rice, ensuring each bowl receives equal portions of protein, vegetables, and sauce. Serve immediately while hot.