Curry sauce that’s easy enough for a weeknight

Boneless skinless chicken breasts save the day for so many busy folks who want to get a lean, protein-filled, affordable dinner on the table in a hurry.

I always have a package or two in my freezer — I buy them on super-sale (about every four to six weeks, in my experience) and freeze them, a strategy even more helpful for the pricier organic or free-range versions.

It is chock-full of lean protein — a 4-ounce (114-g) serving is only 125 calories, and has about 26 grams of protein, plus minerals and B vitamins, and only a gram or two of fat. And with so little fat in the meat, you have a little wiggle room to indulge a bit with other ingredients.

In my weeknight Thai curry chicken recipe I use full-fat coconut milk — a half cup

(125 mL) for six servings is enough to create a luxurious mouth-feel without adding more than a few grams of fat per serving.

In this quick weeknight-friendly recipe, I use fragrant Thai curry paste as a rub right on thin chicken cutlets, infusing them with a ton of flavour, and I serve the sauce as an accompaniment, rather than having the chicken swim in it.

A quick sauté gives the chicken just the right amount of char, and the coconut sauce is made flavourful with fresh basil, green onions and garlic. And it’s quick — just a few pulses in a blender and a few minutes stovetop.