Gochujang Coconut Chicken with Rice

Instructions

1. 1

   Finely chop the onion and garlic, and roughly chop the coriander. Use four large bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs totaling 1000 g. Pat the chicken dry without washing it, then rub with the paprika, ginger, chilli flakes, salt and sunflower oil. Wash your hands and clean any surfaces or utensils that touched the raw chicken.

2. 2

   Heat a 30 cm deep sauté pan over medium heat for 2 minutes. Add the chicken skin-side down and brown for 8–10 minutes, until the skin releases easily. Turn and cook for 2 minutes, then transfer to a plate; the chicken will still be undercooked.

3. 3

   While the chicken browns, rinse the uncooked long-grain white rice in a sieve and drain well. Put it in a 2 litre saucepan with the 600 ml water. Bring to a boil over high heat, cover tightly and reduce to low. Cook for 18 minutes, then remove from the heat and leave covered for 10 minutes. Keep covered until serving.

4. 4

   Reduce the sauté pan heat to medium-low. Add the onion to the rendered chicken fat and cook for 3 minutes, stirring. Stir in the tomato paste and gochujang for 1 minute, then add the garlic and cook for 30 seconds.

5. 5

   Stir in the canned, full-fat coconut milk, scraping up the browned bits, and bring to a gentle simmer. Return the chicken and any plate juices to the pan, skin-side up. Cover and simmer over low heat for 22–25 minutes, then uncover and simmer for another 5 minutes. Check that the thickest part of every thigh reaches 74°C/165°F without touching bone; continue simmering if needed.

6. 6

   Turn off the heat and stir the lime juice into the sauce around the chicken. Fluff the rice and divide between four plates. Add one thigh to each, spoon over all the sauce and finish with the coriander.