Chicken Curry
From the Sona Pai collection
Introduction
If you’ve never tried cooking Indian food, this is a great recipe to start with. You should be able to find everything you need at your regular grocery store, including garam masala, which is a blend of warm spices including cinnamon, cloves, and cardamom. Try a mixture of chicken breasts, thighs, and legs for variety.
Ingredients
| 1 | lb. of boneless, skinless chicken breasts | |
| ~ | Juice from half of a lemon | |
| 2 | Tbsp. olive oil | |
| 1 | large onion, diced | |
| 2 to 3 | cloves garlic, chopped | |
| ~ | Fresh ginger (a 1 ½-inch piece), peeled and chopped or grated | |
| 1 | Tbsp. ground cumin | |
| 1 | Tbsp. ground coriander | |
| ⅛ to ¼ | tsp. cayenne pepper (or more to taste) | |
| ½ | tsp. turmeric | |
| 1 | Tbsp. garam masala | |
| 1 | can (14 ounces) of whole tomatoes, or 2 fresh tomatoes, puréed | |
| ~ | Fresh cilantro, chopped, for garnish | |
| ~ | Salt to taste |
Steps
- Cut the chicken breasts into 1 ½-inch cubes, sprinkle with lemon juice and salt, and set aside.
- In a heavy pot, sauté diced onion in olive oil over medium heat. After onion becomes translucent (3 to 4 minutes), add garlic and ginger, and sauté for 2 to 3 minutes. Add all ground spices and sauté for another 2 to 3 minutes, stirring to keep the mixture from sticking to the bottom of the pot.
- Increase heat slightly, add chicken pieces, and stir to coat with spice and onion mixture. Once chicken pieces are no longer pink, add tomatoes. Use a spoon to break up whole canned tomatoes in the pot.
- Bring chicken curry to a boil, lower heat to maintain a low simmer, and cook for 20 to 30 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add salt to taste, garnish with fresh cilantro, and serve with basmati rice, cucumber raita, and pita bread or naan.
Notes
Read Sona Pai’s essay about how chicken curry and cucumber raita make a perfect pair.
This content is from the Sona Pai collection.