Thai Green Curry Chicken Panzerotto

This is an unconventional panzo - a Thai Green Curry Chicken Panzerotto. I would have to say this is the panzo that's made me the most nervous to make, I really wasn't sure it was going to work. I made a green curry chicken with carrot, snowpeas, coconut milk, chopped cilantro and lime juice. What made this curry chicken unconventional was adding cream cheese to it. I wanted the cream cheese to add a creaminess and richness to it that you wouldn't normally get with just coconut milk. It was a risk but it ended up paying off. The second risk I took with this on was adding cooked rice to the panzo, the thought was that it would soak up some of the sauce, and well, it did. I also used shredded marble cheddar cheese in the panzo, which of course would never really go with Thai green curry chicken, but, it was necessary for the panzo part. I was definitely nervous as I was frying this one up, but I didn't need to be, it ended up being so delicious. My only change would be to make it spicier next time. I could add some Thai green chilis in with the sauce to give it a bit of an extra kick. If you're not too big on spice, leave it as is. If you want to know how to make my Thai Green Curry Chicken Panzerotto keep reading, or jump to the full recipe.

If your chicken thighs still have the bone, remove it but keep the skin on. Cut it into small pieces, about 1-1.5 inch by 1-1.5 inch.

Place the chicken into a bowl. Add the green curry paste to the chicken and mix to coat.

In a cast iron pan on medium-high heat, add a bit of oil then once hot, add the chicken in a single layer. Cook, flipping occasionally until nicely seared on all sides.

Add the coconut milk and mix, let cook about a minute.

Add the snow peas and carrots to the chicken and mix. Add 2 tbsp of the chopped cilantro to the chicken and squeeze in the juice from half a lime. Mix. Add the cream cheese and mix until melted. The chicken should be cooked through and the vegetables tender but not overcooked. Remove from the heat once done and let cool.

Sprinkle a bit of flour onto your work surface and then stretch out the dough into a circle, kneading it with your fingertips until it is about a half an inch thick. Place half the cheddar cheese down first on one side of the dough, then the rice, add the green curry chicken and then the rest of the cheese.

Fold over the pizza dough and press the edges together with your fingers, crimp the edges to seal the panzo.

Add an inch of oil to a pan or heavy bottom pot, once hot, add the panzo. Allow to cook about 1-2 minutes, spooning the hot oil over the top. Flip and allow to cook another 2-3 minutes, while spooning the hot oil on top. Flip once more and let cook another minute, continuing to spoon the oil on top.

Once golden and crispy, remove from the oil. Season with salt and pepper while hot and a squeeze of fresh lime juice.

To serve, cut the panzo in half and place on a plate, top with chopped cilantro and serve with a wedge of lime.

And now for the full recipe...

Thai Green Curry Chicken Panzerotto

Makes 1 panzo

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Cook Time: 15 minutes

Total Time: 25 minutes

Ingredients:

2 skin on, boneless chicken thighs 

3 tbsp coconut milk 

2 tsp Thai curry paste 

70g snow peas 

½ carrot

4 tbsp chopped cilantro, divided

2 tbsp cream cheese 

3 tbsp marble cheddar

1 lime

1-2 tbsp all-purpose flour

Pizza dough 

1/3 cup cooked minute rice, cooled

Oil for frying

How to Make a Thai Green Curry Chicken Panzerotto

Prepare the rice and set aside to cool.

If your chicken thighs still have the bone, remove it but keep the skin on. Cut it into small pieces, about 1-1.5 inch by 1-1.5 inch. Place the chicken into a bowl. Add the green curry paste to the chicken and mix to coat.

Peel and then thinly slice the carrot into rounds, with a mandolin or sharp knife. Grate the cheese.

In a cast iron pan on medium-high heat, add a bit of oil then once hot, add the chicken in a single layer. Cook, flipping occasionally until nicely seared on all sides. Add the coconut milk and mix, let cook another minute and then add the snow peas and carrots and mix. Add 2 tbsp of the chopped cilantro to the chicken and squeeze in the juice from half a lime. Mix. Add the cream cheese and mix until melted. The chicken should be cooked through and the vegetables tender but not overcooked. Remove from the heat once done and let cool.

Sprinkle a bit of flour onto your work surface and then stretch out the dough into a circle, kneading it with your fingertips until it is about a half an inch thick. Place half the cheddar cheese down first on one side of the dough, then the rice, add the green curry chicken and then the rest of the cheese. Fold over the pizza dough and press the edges together with your fingers, crimp the edges to seal the panzo.

Add an inch of oil to a pan or heavy bottom pot, once hot, add the panzo. Allow to cook about 1-2 minutes, spooning the hot oil over the top. Flip and allow to cook another 2-3 minutes, while spooning the hot oil on top. Flip once more and let cook another minute, continuing to spoon the oil on top. Once golden and crispy, remove from the oil. Season with salt and pepper while hot and a squeeze of fresh lime juice.

To serve, cut the panzo in half and place on a plate, top with chopped cilantro and serve with a wedge of lime.

Make sure to subscribe to my newsletter so you never miss out on a new recipe, follow me on all my social channels @chefmattbasile and check out my new project @alchemygrills for updates, recipes and videos.