I’ve had this itch lately. THE itch.

No, not that itch. The SHOPPING itch. All I want to do is go somewhere with all the stores I love (um, a mall?), and acquire cute new things. Cute skirts. Cute earrings. Cute boots. I’m fully aware that this is 100% materialistic and an itch I should acknowledge I’m privileged to have; however, I still have it. I want to go to Anthropologie and try on dresses! I want to go to Lululemon and buy tank tops! I want to go to Nordstrom Rack and try on a bazillion pairs of shoes!

Sadly, Bozeman isn’t exactly a shopping mecca. The mall here is weird and creepy, and entirely lacking in good stores. Luckily, anthropologie.com and a few boutiques downtown have allowed me to (partially) scratch the itch. It is a new sensation, living in a place without the material dependencies I used to have. All three places I’ve lived in for a substantial amount of time (Portland, St. Louis, Boulder), had copious amounts of shopping. TOO much shopping!

Retail therapy is not a joke, people.

Neither is this coconut chicken curry: it may just be my new favorite “go to” dinner! Don’t tell my baked pasta… Not only does this take about 0.02 seconds to throw together in the morning, but it ensures you’ll walk in the door after a long day of work to an AMAZING smell. Honestly, sometimes I forget that it’s cooking and I come home to a shockingly delightful smell – it’s awesome!

Slow Cooker Coconut Chicken Curry

Adapted from Martha Stewart

3 large chicken breasts, frozen or fresh
2 cans (14 oz each) of coconut milk
1 onion, thinly sliced
4 garlic cloves, diced
2 tsp fresh ginger, diced
2 tablespoons curry powder, preferably Madras
1 teaspoon ground coriander
1 teaspoon ground cumin
salt
1 1/2 cups frozen peas
1/2 cup peanuts (for garnish)
1/2 cup fresh cilantro (for garnish)
3 cups cooked rice

Combine coconut milk, onion, garlic, ginger, curry, coriander, cumin, and 1 Tbsp of salt in your slow cooker. Mix together, then add the chicken. Position the chicken so it is covered with the sauce.

Cook on low for 5-8 hours. 20 minutes before serving, add the frozen peas and mix. Using forks, gently shred the chicken in the slow cooker.

Serve over rice, and garnish with peanuts and fresh cilantro.

Notes and Tips:

• I usually use frozen chicken breasts, which work perfectly fine!
• I make this dish before work, and often let it cook 8 or 9 hours before eating; however, it would be ready to eat in 5 hours with no problem!
• We have a fairly small Crock Pot, and this makes enough to feed 3 hungry people. If you have a bigger crock pot, just add more stuff! I wouldn’t add more coconut milk until you’ve added at least 2 more chicken breasts – then add one more can of coconut milk.

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