Chicken Curry
This is a very old family recipe that is sure to be a favorite. The curry is cooked slowly for a long time, resulting in a flavorful dish. Serve over rice.
This is a very old family recipe that is sure to be a favorite. The curry is cooked slowly for a long time, resulting in a flavorful dish. Serve over rice.
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- 1 pinch salt
- 1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
- 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
- 1/4 cup olive oil
- 1 (3 pound) whole chicken skin removed and cut into pieces
- 3 onions, chopped
- 1 bay leaf
- 2 cloves crushed garlic
- 3 tablespoons curry powder
- 1/2 teaspoon white sugar
- 1/2 lemon, juiced
- 1 tablespoon tomato paste
- water to cover
- Carbohydrate 11.8075248749629 g
- Cholesterol 0 mg
- Fat 7.13858650889974 g
- Fiber 2.63187629234241 g
- Protein 1.54434337513946 g
- Saturated Fat 1.0200682512352 g
- Serving Size 1 1 to 6 serving (103g)
- Sodium 8.84663749796745 mg
- Sugar 9.17564858262047 g
- Trans Fat 0.272748687807049 g
- Calories 110 calories
Step-by-step
- Fry the onions in olive oil until browned. Add the cinnamon and the bay leaf. Continue stirring and add the ginger, paprika, curry powder, sugar, salt, and garlic. Continue stirring for 2 minutes. Mixture will become much like a paste.
- Add chicken pieces and tomato. Add enough water to just cover the chicken. Simmer until chicken is done, about 20 minutes.
- Just before serving, add the lemon juice and the cayenne pepper. Simmer for 5 more minutes.
Blooming Spices in Fat
Unlike dry-rubbed barbecue applications that rely on ambient smoker heat to render spices aromatic, stovetop curries demand direct fat contact to release fat-soluble flavor compounds from ground powders. Cooking ground cinnamon, paprika, ginger, and curry powder directly in heated olive oil for two minutes toasts the plant matter without scorching it, provided the burner stays at medium-low rather than high. When garlic and sugar enter this pan, the moisture content drops rapidly, transforming the loose seasonings into a concentrated paste that clings to the bottom of the skillet. Utilizing a heavy-bottomed Dutch oven prevents hot spots during this crucial stage, ensuring the powdered spices do not turn bitter before the liquids are introduced.
Managing Moisture and Simmer Times
Adding water just to cover the poultry pieces creates a braising environment rather than a rolling boil, keeping the meat tender over a twenty-minute simmer. Because whole chicken cut up into pieces contains varying thicknesses of muscle tissue, monitoring the internal temperature with an instant-read thermometer ensures the breast meat reaches 165 degrees Fahrenheit without drying out while the dark meat finishes cooking through. Tomato paste contributes natural glutamates and pectin, which naturally thicken the simmering liquid into a clinging sauce as the water evaporates. If the sauce thickens too quickly before the meat is fully cooked, add boiling water in two-tablespoon increments to maintain a steady consistency.
Balancing Acidity at the Finish
Stirring fresh lemon juice and cayenne pepper into the skillet right before serving preserves volatile citrus aromatics that would otherwise dull during long simmering periods. Acidity cuts through the rich olive oil base and rounds out the heat from the cayenne pepper, sharpening the overall profile of the dish. Ladle the finished curry over steamed white rice grains, which absorb excess liquid and provide a neutral starch base to balance the potent spice blend.
