Quick and easy dinners are my go-to recipes during most weeks. I’m a strong believer that having home-cooked meals every day does not have to mean complicated, time-consuming recipes or even that you have to cook every day. The best recipes allow for flexibility based on the time and resources you have that day. This recipe, in fact, works wonderfully with leftover poached, rotisserie, or Roasted Chicken that has been diced into 1-inch pieces for an easy short cut. It is almost always how I make it and I recommend that you do, too and skip the first step entirely. When I start the recipe and make the chicken fresh at the time I’m making the dish, I most often use boneless, skinless chicken breasts to be a little more health-conscious. Also, the abundance of sauce in this dish will add succulence to chicken breast and prevent it from being dry, making it an ideal use for this cut of chicken.
Ingredients:
1.5-2 lbs boneless, skinless chicken breast , cut into 1.5 inch pieces
2 medium onions, finely diced
3 cloves minced garlic
1 can chick peas rinsed and drained
1 can diced tomatoes
1 cup light coconut milk
2 tsp (or so) salt
1/2 tsp ground black pepper
1 Tbsp sweet curry powder
1 tsp turmeric
2 tsp cumin
1 tsp coriander
1/2 tsp cayenne pepper
1.5 Tbsp canola or grape seed oil
Optional Ingredients:
3 Serrano peppers, seeds and ribs removed and diced
1 cup frozen peas
zest of 1 lime and half of its juice
Fresh Cilantro, chopped
Fresh Mint, chopped
How I Make It:
To build the most flavor, start by heating the oil on medium heat in a large pot or Dutch oven. Season the cubes of chicken with about a teaspoon of the salt, all of the pepper and all of the coriander and lightly brown on one side, then flip until the 2nd side has a bit of color and then remove with a slotted spoon to a bowl and set aside (you can skip this step if you are using leftover chicken).
Reduce heat to medium low. Add the curry powder, turmeric, cumin, cayenne pepper to the oil and allow the spices to bloom in the hot oil for a minute until they become fragrant and your kitchen smells like your favorite Indian restaurant. Add the onion, garlic, peppers, and a pinch of the remaining salt and sweat until onions are translucent.
Add the chickpeas and stir well, incorporating all ingredients and allowing the chickpeas to cook in the mixture for a minute or two to absorb some of the flavor of the spices and aromatics. Add the remaining salt, tomatoes, coconut milk, lime zest and half of the juice as well as the chicken and any juices that may have collected in the bowl.
Bring to a light bubble on medium heat while stirring occasionally, reduce heat to the lowest setting, cover and allow to remain at a low simmer for 20-30 minutes, adding the frozen peas in the final 5 minutes. Taste for seasoning and serve over rice, sprinkled with the fresh herbs. I cut up the unused half of lime into small slices for those who like to add a little more to their dish at the end.
You can control how mild or spicy you want it and it’s perfect for reheating on 50% power in the microwave for lunch or dinner for the rest of the week!
Happy Eating!
