An extra chicken from El Pollo Rico last night (yes, we got two, don’t judge) led us to contemplate what we wanted to do with leftover chicken.  My immediate answer was chicken curry, and I love this Thai chicken curry…super simple and always delicious.  No Thai basil on hand today, but it was still good with regular basil.

• 1 cup light coconut milk
• 1 tablespoon red curry paste
• 1/2 – 1lb Thai eggplant, quartered
• 2 tablespoons fish sauce (nam pla)
• 3 cups chicken stock (or water)
• 1 fresh lime, juiced
• 1 lb chicken breast (can use pre-cooked chicken)
• 4-5 fresh Thai basil leaves (can substitute regular basil)
• 3 Kaffir Lime Leaves

Thai eggplant is usually available in Asian grocery stores.  You can use regular eggplant, but cut it into bite-size pieces.

Pour half of the coconut milk into a large pot, over low to medium low heat. Add the red curry paste. Break up the paste and mix it with coconut milk. If using uncooked chicken, add it once you see red oil bubbling on top of the sauce. Stir and coat chicken with curry sauce. Add the eggplant when chicken starts to turn white. Add the rest of the coconut milk, the stock or water, and the fish sauce. Let it boil until all the eggplant pieces turn dark and tender. Add the lime juice after about five minutes.

If using pre-cooked chicken (such as leftover rotisserie), add to curry after about 10 minutes of boiling to allow the eggplant to cook and thicken first.  Cook another 10 minutes or so, though you can go as long as you wish if you like a really thick sauce.

Serve hot with rice or rice noodles.

**This does not make a lot of sauce.  If you like a saucy curry, feel free to double the liquids and eggplant in this recipe.