Wednesday, July 29, 2015

Indian Curry with Chicken and Easy Brown Rice

Last post, I mentioned that I would be on a monthly posting schedule until life got more settled. That was in April. Now, it is almost August, and I, as always, have failed to regularly share delicious recipes from our kitchen on the blog world. The truth of the matter is that our kitchen has not produced much more than salads and sandwiches for the last several months! We took on a big adventure of making a cross-country move, which involved selling all of our prized possession (including most of my stocked kitchen), packing what we could fit in our Toyota Avalon, and starting over in North Carolina. A big adventure might be an understatement... Let's call it a colossal life change. That's a story for another day (or days), maybe warranting its own blog. For now, let's get back to the theme of this blog - FOOD.

Food and adventure have gone hand-in-hand in our world. Most recent adventures include cooking with absolutely no equipment, slowly piece-mealing a kitchen back together, and taking on the challenge of cooking as many recipes as possible from the cookbooks that made the travel cut. Prepare yourself for several new recipes from America's Test Kitchen Family Cookbook, America's Test Kitchen Healthy Family Cookbook, and The Essential Best Foods Cookbook. To start, Indian Curry with Chicken and Easy Brown Rice from the Healthy ATK Cookbook!

 
 
This curry was a bit different than we were expecting, but it was absolutely delicious. It was definitely not as spicy as we like, but that can easily be fixed. Very easy to prepare, quick clean up, and makes enough for leftovers! You definitely want to make some rice to go with it, as it is much more soup-like than typical Indian curry. Also, don't skimp on the carbs... treat yourself to some naan - make your own or try Trader Joe's!

Indian Curry with Chicken - America's Test Kitchen Healthy Family Cookbook
Ingredients:
1 (14.5 oz) can whole peeled tomatoes
2 1/2 T. canola oil
4 1/2 tsp. curry powder
1 tsp. garam masala
1 onion, minced
1 jalapeno chile, stemmed, seeded, and minced (we added in the seeds for more heat)
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 T. grated fresh ginger
1 T. tomato paste
1 c. water
1 lb. boneless, skinless chicken breasts (2-3)
1/2 head cauliflower (about 1 lb.), cored and cut into 1-inch florets (about 3 cups)
1 c. frozen peas, thawed
1/2 c. plain whole milk yogurt
1/4 c. minced fresh cilantro
Salt

Directions:

Pulse the tomatoes with their juice in a food processor until no large chunks remain, about 5 pulses; set aside.

Heat the oil in a Dutch oven (or large pot) over medium heat until shimmering. Add the spices and cook for about 30 seconds. Add in the onion and cook for about 5 minutes. Add the jalapeno, garlic, ginger, and tomato paste and cook for 30 seconds more. Stir in the water and tomatoes, then add the chicken and cauliflower. Bring to a simmer for 12-18 minutes, or until the chicken is cooked through, flipping the chicken halfway through. Transfer the chicken to a carving board and shred into bite-sized pieces.

Put the shredded chicken and any accumulated juices back into the pot, then add the peas and simmer until heated through (about 2 minutes). Off the heat, stir in the yogurt and cilantro. Season with salt to taste and serve with Easy Baked Brown Rice and extra plain yogurt.

Easy Baked Brown Rice - America's Test Kitchen Healthy Family Cookbook

Ingredients:
1 T. olive oil
1 small onion, minced
Salt and pepper
2 1/4 c. water
1 c. low-sodium chicken broth
1 1/2 c. long-grain brown rice, rinsed and drained

Directions:

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Heat the oil in a Dutch oven over medium heat until shimmering. Add the onion and 1/4 tsp salt and cook, stirring occasionally, until well browned, 12-14 minutes. (NOTE: I know this seems like a really long time to cook onions, but it really does make the dish very flavorful!)

Add the water and broth, cover, and bring to a boil. Off the heat, stir in the rice. Cover and bake until the rice is tender, 65 to 70 minutes.

Remove the pot from the oven, uncover, and fluff the rice with a fork, scraping up any rice that stuck to the bottom. Lay a clean folder kitchen towel underneath the lid. Let sit for 10 minutes. Season with salt and pepper to taste.