This Golden Turmeric Chicken Stew Started a Whole New Direction
Something I’ve Been Thinking About
For the past few months, I’ve been wrestling with a question that kept showing up after every long shift, every late-night delivery order, every morning I woke up feeling... off.
What am I actually putting into my body?
I know. I’m a chef. I should have this figured out. But here’s the truth: spending 12+ hours in a restaurant kitchen doesn’t automatically make you healthy. It makes you tired. It makes you grab whatever’s fast. It makes you order delivery at 11pm because the last thing you want to do after cooking for hundreds of people is cook for yourself.
Sound familiar?
Even if you’re not working in a kitchen, I bet you know this feeling. The exhaustion that leads to the delivery app. The “I’ll eat better tomorrow” that turns into another week of takeout. The vague sense that something isn’t quite right—energy levels that don’t match your effort, sleep that doesn’t feel restful, a body that just feels... heavy.
Lately, I’ve been digging into something that’s changing how I think about food—not just how to cook it, but what it actually does once it’s inside me.
Gut health. Inflammation. Blood sugar. The connection between what we eat and how we feel.
I started paying attention. Not in a restrictive, obsessive way—but genuinely curious. Which foods gave me energy versus which ones made me crash? Why did some meals leave me satisfied for hours while others had me raiding the pantry two hours later?
And I started reading. A lot. About turmeric and its anti-inflammatory properties. About why fiber matters more than I ever gave it credit for. About how the bacteria in our gut might be running more of the show than we realize.
I’m not a nutritionist. I’m not going to pretend to be one. But I am someone who’s spent 15 years learning how to cook—and I’m realizing that knowledge is only valuable if it serves something bigger.
That something? Feeling good. Sustainably. Without the stress.
Here’s what’s evolving:
I’m still going to share recipes. I’m still going to teach you batch cooking systems that save time and money. That’s not going anywhere—it’s the foundation of everything I believe about making home cooking work for busy people.
But I’m adding something.
Every week, I’ll share what I’m learning about nutrition and wellness—in real-time, as I learn it. Not from a position of expertise, but from a position of curiosity. I’ll tell you what I’m trying, what’s working, and what’s not.
I’ll give you a featured recipe that tastes incredible AND does something good for your body. And I’ll show you how to stretch it into multiple meals so you’re not wasting food or money.
The goal is the same: help you eat well without it taking over your life.
The lens is shifting: from “professional techniques adapted for home” to “whole food cooking that actually makes you feel better.”
Why This Matters
Here’s something I’ve realized: knowing what goes into your food is a form of self-care that no delivery app can replicate.
When you cook at home, you control the ingredients. You know there’s no hidden seed oils, no excessive sodium, no mystery additives designed to make you crave more. You’re building something with your own hands that nourishes your body.
That’s not about being perfect. It’s about being intentional.
And it starts with having a kitchen that’s ready—stocked with the basics that let you throw together something real instead of reaching for your phone.
Can you relate to any of this? Hit reply and tell me. I’d genuinely love to know if this resonates—or if I’m the only one who’s been wrestling with these questions.
This Week’s Recipe: Golden Turmeric Chicken Stew
Let’s start with something that embodies this new direction perfectly.
This stew is everything I want CulinaryBrief to be:
Anti-inflammatory — turmeric, ginger, and garlic are three of the most researched ingredients for reducing inflammation in the body
Gut-friendly — fiber-rich sweet potatoes and leafy greens feed the good bacteria in your gut
Budget-conscious — chicken thighs are the most economical cut, and the whole pot costs about $12-15 to make
One-pot simple — 35 minutes of mostly hands-off time, minimal cleanup
Spin-off ready — this base transforms into completely different meals all week
It’s golden, warming, and genuinely makes you feel good after eating it. Not in a vague wellness-marketing way—in a “I have energy, I’m not bloated, I slept well” way.
Golden Turmeric Chicken Stew
Makes: 6-8 servings
Active Time: 15 minutes
Total Time: 35-40 minutes
Cost: Approximately $12-15
What You’ll Need
For the Stew:
2 lbs boneless, skinless chicken thighs, cut into bite-sized pieces
2 tablespoons avocado oil (or olive oil)
1 large sweet potato, peeled and cubed (about 2 cups)
1 medium yellow onion, diced
2 carrots, sliced
2 celery stalks, sliced
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 tablespoon fresh ginger, grated (or 1 tsp ground)
1 ½ teaspoons ground turmeric
1 teaspoon ground cumin
½ teaspoon ground coriander
4 cups chicken bone broth (or regular chicken stock)
1 can (13.5 oz) full-fat coconut milk
2 cups fresh spinach or kale, roughly chopped
Juice of 1 lemon
Kosher salt and black pepper to taste
Fresh cilantro for garnish (optional)
The Method
1. Brown the chicken.
Heat oil in a large Dutch oven or heavy-bottomed pot over medium-high heat. Season chicken pieces with salt and pepper. Add to pot and cook 4-5 minutes, turning occasionally, until golden on the outside (doesn’t need to be cooked through). Remove and set aside.
2. Build the flavor base.
In the same pot, add the onion, carrots, and celery. Cook 4-5 minutes until softened, scraping up any browned bits from the chicken. Add the garlic, ginger, turmeric, cumin, and coriander. Stir constantly for 1-2 minutes until incredibly fragrant.
3. Simmer.
Add the sweet potato, return the chicken to the pot, and pour in the bone broth. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to low. Cover and simmer for 20 minutes until sweet potatoes are tender and chicken is cooked through.
4. Finish.
Stir in the coconut milk and spinach. Let the greens wilt for 2-3 minutes. Remove from heat, add lemon juice, and taste for seasoning.
5. Serve.
Ladle into bowls. Garnish with fresh cilantro if you have it. This is beautiful on its own or over rice.
Chef’s Notes (The Why Behind the How)
Why chicken thighs? They’re more forgiving than breasts—nearly impossible to overcook into rubber. The extra fat keeps them tender through reheating, which matters for batch cooking.
Why bone broth? It adds collagen and minerals that regular stock doesn’t have. If you don’t have it, regular chicken stock works fine—the dish will still be delicious.
Why coconut milk? Two reasons: First, the fat helps your body absorb turmeric’s active compound (curcumin) much better than water-based broths alone. Second, it creates that silky, restaurant-quality texture without any dairy.
The black pepper secret: I didn’t list it as a specific measurement, but don’t skip it. Black pepper contains piperine, which increases your body’s absorption of curcumin by up to 2000%. A few good cracks of fresh pepper makes the turmeric actually work.
The Spin-Offs: One Batch, Three Meals
Here’s where batch cooking meets budget-conscious eating. That pot of stew becomes your building block for completely different meals.
Spin-Off #1: Golden Chicken Grain Bowls
What you need: Leftover stew + cooked rice or quinoa + fresh greens + something crunchy
The assembly:
Scoop warm grain into a bowl
Ladle stew over top (more brothy is fine here)
Add a handful of fresh arugula or spinach on the side
Top with toasted pumpkin seeds or sliced almonds
Squeeze of fresh lemon
Why it works: The fresh greens and crunch transform the cozy stew into something that feels lighter and more lunch-appropriate. The contrast of warm and cool, soft and crunchy, makes it feel like a completely different meal.
Cost per serving: Under $3
Spin-Off #2: Golden Chicken Lettuce Wraps
What you need: Leftover stew (thicker pieces work best) + butter lettuce or romaine hearts + quick pickled onions + fresh herbs
Quick pickled onions (takes 10 minutes, keeps for weeks):
Thinly slice half a red onion. Cover with equal parts rice vinegar and warm water, pinch of salt and sugar. Let sit while you prep everything else.
The assembly:
Use a slotted spoon to scoop the chicken and vegetables from the stew (save the broth for reheating or as a soup base)
Spoon into crisp lettuce cups
Top with pickled onions and fresh cilantro or mint
Drizzle with a little extra coconut milk or a squeeze of lime
Why it works: Light, fresh, and handheld. Perfect for when you want something satisfying but not heavy. The acidity from the pickled onions brightens everything up.
Cost per serving: Under $2.50
Storage & Reheating
Refrigerator: Stew keeps 4-5 days in an airtight container.
Freezer: Freeze in portion-sized containers for up to 3 months. The coconut milk may separate slightly when thawed—just stir well while reheating and it comes back together.
Reheating tip: Add a splash of broth or water when reheating. The sweet potatoes absorb liquid as they sit, so the stew thickens over time.
Your Whole Food Kitchen Starter List
I mentioned that cooking this way requires a kitchen that’s ready. Here’s what I keep stocked so I can always make something real:
The Anti-Inflammatory Basics:
Ground turmeric
Fresh ginger (keeps 3+ weeks in the freezer, grate from frozen)
Garlic (always, always garlic)
Black pepper (freshly cracked makes a difference)
The Batch Cooking Foundation:
Bone broth or good quality stock
Coconut milk (full-fat in cans)
Avocado or olive oil
Kosher salt
The Fresh Stuff (buy weekly):
Onions, carrots, celery (the holy trinity)
One leafy green (spinach, kale, whatever’s on sale)
One citrus (lemon or lime)
Fresh herbs (cilantro and parsley go with almost everything)
The Proteins (buy and freeze):
Chicken thighs
A firm fish (salmon portions)
Eggs (always eggs)
With these on hand, you can throw together something nourishing in 30 minutes without a recipe. That’s the goal.
What’s Coming Next
Next week, I’m diving into gut health basics—what I’ve learned about why it matters and how to support it without overthinking. Plus another recipe that’s been on repeat in my kitchen.
If there’s something specific you want me to explore—a topic, a cooking challenge, a question about any of this—reply to this email. I’m building this alongside you, not at you.
Thanks for being here.
— CulinaryBrief
P.S. — If you made the stew, I want to see it. Tag me on social or reply with a photo. Nothing makes my day like seeing these recipes come to life in your kitchen.
