Indian Spice Box Chicken Recipes

CHICKEN MASALA

Steps:

• Clean and wash chicken well. Drain completely so no water remains.
• Marinate with ginger garlic paste, turmeric, red chilli powder, salt, yogurt, chicken masala or garam masala.
• Cover & set aside for about 45 mins to 1 hour. It can also be left overnight in the refrigerator.
• Heat oil in a pan or pot. Saute cloves, cinnamon, cardamoms and bay leaf in hot oil for a min. You can also add curry leaves if you have.
• Next add in green chilies and onions. Saute them until the onions turn completely golden.
• Add ginger garlic paste and saute until the raw smell goes off.
• Pour the tomato puree. Then add salt, red chili powder and garam masala as well.
• Saute this very well until the mixture begins to leave the pan.
• At this stage you can also see oil getting separated from the mixture.
• Add marinated chicken and saute for 4 to 5 mins on a medium flame.
• Turn the flame to completely low and cook covered for 5 mins.
• Turn the chicken pieces and mix everything well. Add coriander leaves or mint leaves and give a stir.
• Cover the pan again and continue to cook on a low heat until chicken is completely cooked to soft and tender. Chicken gets cooked in its own moisture, so don't need to add water.
• Add half tsp more garam masala and chilli powder while cooking the tomato puree.
• Add little hot water or coconut milk to make a gravy. Cook until the gravy turns thick.
• Serve hot with steamed rice, roti, sliced onion wedges and lemon.

INDIAN SPICE BOX CHICKEN

Steps:

• Make the Chilli-ginger garnish (see right), before you start the chicken.
• Cut down the length of the green chillies, then remove the seeds by scraping them out with a teaspoon. You may want to wear rubber gloves for this job - fiery seeds can give the fingers a real chilli sting. Cut off the stalk ends, chop the chillies into rough pieces and put them in a blender or food processor. Peel and roughly chop the garlic and add to the chillies. Do the same with the ginger.
• Pick the leaves off the coriander and drop them into the blender as you go (reserve the stems for the garnish). Tip in the yogurt and blitz everything to a puree. This can take a few minutes and you may have to stop the blender a few times to scrape all the gunge down from the sides - a rubber spatula will make this job much easier.
• Peel, halve and thinly slice the onions. Pull the skin off the chicken, using kitchen paper to help you get a good grip. Heat the oil in a saute pan over a medium heat until hot - when you drop in a spice seed or two it should sizzle. Toss in the fennel and cumin seeds and let them crackle and pop for 10-20 seconds, stirring all the time so they don't burn. They're ready when you get a lovely whiff of warm nuts. If the oil starts to smoke, remove pan from the heat.
• Plop in the butter and let it melt, then throw in the sliced onions and turn the heat down a tad. Stir to mix the onions and spice seeds, then cook for about 10 minutes until the onions are meltingly soft and tinged golden brown. Give them a vigorous stir now and then, but don't stir them too often or they won't take on any colour.
• Push the onions to one side of the pan, then add the chicken thighs, smooth side down. Increase the heat to between medium and high and fry the chicken until it's golden brown on both sides. This should take about 15-20 minutes and you will need to turn the pieces over halfway (a pair of tongs are good for this). Watch carefully in case the onions start to brown too much - if they do, pile them up on top of the chicken.
• Stir in some of the yogurt mixture and cook until it disappears - repeat a dollop at a time. Whizz 150ml/¼ pint cold water in the blender to use the last bits of the mixture and add to the pan with a pinch of salt. Stir until bubbling, scraping up any crispy bits. Reduce the heat to its lowest and cover the pan tightly. Simmer for 30-35 minutes or until the chicken is tender when pierced, stirring and turning halfway and adding a splash of hot water if the sauce is too dry. Serve sprinkled with finely chopped coriander stems and a little chilli garnish (put the rest in a bowl on the table).

INDIAN-SPICED CHICKEN

Steps:

• Cut the chicken breasts roughly into 2 by 2-inch pieces. Mix together the yogurt, garlic, ginger, cardamom, curry powder, chili flakes, coriander, paprika, honey, salt, and pepper until thoroughly combined. Add chicken pieces to yogurt mixture, cover, and refrigerate at least 1 hour or as long as overnight. Bring to room temperature before cooking.
• In a large skillet, heat the vegetable oil over medium-high heat. Add the onion and cook until translucent. Stir in tomato paste until evenly distributed and then add the half-and-half. Slide in the chicken and marinade, stir well, and bring mixture to a simmer. Reduce the heat so that the liquid remains at a low simmer. Cook about 15 minutes until chicken is no longer pink in the middle but still tender and moist. Serve immediately over basmati rice.

INDIAN-SPICED CHICKEN

Steps:

• Heat a large skillet over high heat. Add 2 tablespoons vegetable oil.
• Season chicken with salt and pepper and add to hot pan. Brown on both sides. Cook in batches if needed.
• Remove chicken from pan and add onion, garlic, and ginger. Cut a slit into the chile lengthwise and add to pan. Saute the onion mixture until softened, about 3-5 minutes. Add spices and cook for 30 seconds.
• Add tomatoes and 1/2 cup water and stir. Add chicken back to pan and bring up to a simmer. Cover and simmer until chicken is cooked through and sauce is thickened, about 30 minutes. Turn chicken occasionally throughout cooking.
• When ready to serve, uncover and stir in cream. Simmer for 1 minute and serve.

INDIAN SPICED CHICKEN

Steps:

• In small bowl, stir together oil and garlic. Stir in water, paprika, ginger, coriander, cumin, nutmeg, turmeric and cayenne pepper.
• Spoon 1 tbsp (15 mL) into another small bowl; stir in lemon juice and set aside. Arrange chicken in single layer in shallow glass dish; brush with remaining spice mixture. Cover and refrigerate chicken for 1 hour.
• (Chicken can be prepared to this point and refrigerated for up to 24 hours; let stand at room temperature for 30 minutes.) Place chicken, flesh side down, on greased grill over medium-high heat; close lid and cook for 5 minutes.
• Turn and brush flesh with reserved lemon mixture. Close lid and cook, turning often, for about 12 minutes longer or until chicken is no longer pink inside and juices run clear when chicken is pierced.
• Serve with lemon wedges.