Baked Coconut Chicken Curry

I've been moderately afraid of trying dishes with curry. I was afraid I wouldn't like it. Many months ago, I made Ina's curried cous cous and fell in love. I decided it was finally time to make something else, now that I knew it wasn't so scary, and went with this baked chicken curry.
This dish only intensified my love for curry.  I went with 2 teaspoons of cayenne and the full 2 tablespoons of curry, and it was fantastic!  A perfect blend of heat and flavor.  My husband and I were fighting over the leftovers! 

Baked Coconut Curry Chicken
Source: Slightly adapted from Check it out

• 2 1/2 pounds chicken (I used boneless, skinless chicken breasts)
• 1 can coconut milk (I use light coconut milk)
  
• 2 cups chicken broth
• 2-3 teaspoons cayenne pepper (depending on how hot you like your food)
• 2 tablespoons curry powder (again depending on how much you like curry)
• 1 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1 tablespoon sugar (alternative sugars, such as agave nectar, work fine!)
  
• 1 teaspoon coriander
• salt and pepper to taste
• 1-2 jalapenos, seeded and diced
• juice of 1 lime
• 1/2 cup fresh cilantro, chopped
• 2-4 carrots, peeled and sliced on the bias
• 1 tablespoon butter (optional)
• white or brown rice, for serving

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
Wash and pat dry the chicken with a paper towel. Pour the chicken broth, coconut milk, and jalapenos in a baking dish then lay the chicken in the broth. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Then sprinkle the rest of the spices and squeeze the lime all over the chicken and broth. Add the carrots.

Cover the baking dish tightly with aluminum foil. Bake for 30 minutes. Remove the dish from the oven, carefully remove the foil and mix up the broth mixture so the coconut milk breaks up. Put the baking dish back in the oven uncovered for another 30-45 minutes or until the chicken is fully cooked and very tender.

Once you remove the baking dish from the oven, carefully pour the sauce into a saucepan and add 1 tablespoon butter (optional - I made it without the butter and it was delicious!). Mix using a whisk, bring the sauce to a boil and whisk till smooth and reduced. Taste the sauce to make sure it is spicy enough for your liking. If not, add more cayenne pepper and curry powder. Serve chicken and carrots over rice and add the reduced sauce.