Everyone has their favorite pantry staples and one of mine is coconut milk. I’m not sure why, but a can of coconut milk makes me feel safe. So much so that I have back-up cans, just in case. You may get a strange look from the checkout person with your abundance of cans, but you’ll be the one laughing when you’re at home, looking into the pantry and spying your coconut treasure trove. Coconut milk is seriously versatile – sweet or savory, breakfast or dinner, it can handle it all. I especially love it in stews or braises.

Ingredients

• 4-6 skin on boneless chicken thighs;
• salt and freshly ground pepper;
• oil;
• 1/2 large onion, diced;
• 1/2 inch piece of ginger, minced, about 1 tablespoon;
• 1 pound mushrooms, sliced;
• 2 garlic cloves, minced;
• 1-2 tablespoons miso paste, depending on miso salt level;
• 2 tablespoons water;
• 1 14-oz can unsweetened coconut milk;
• sliced green onions, to garnish;
• crushed red peppers, optional;
• rice, quinoa, greens, bread or your favorite starch, to serve.

Pat the chicken dry and season with salt and pepper. Heat a bit of oil in a heavy bottomed pot over medium-high until hot and shimmery. Add the chicken to the pan skin side down. Brown deeply, 5-6 minutes and then transfer to a plate.

Turn the heat to medium and if there is a lot of fat that has rendered out, remove it until you have about a tablespoon of oil left. Add the onion, ginger and garlic to the pot and cook until slightly soft, 5 minutes. Add the mushrooms and cook.