Chicken Curry with Southern India Style Basmati Rice
Chicken Curry is a staple of India. But Adam Lambay's Indian dad always added potatoes and peas to make it more to my German/Irish mom's liking. Note from Chef Adam: Chicken Curry is always served over Basmati Rice. I like it prepared southern India style with cinnamon stick, cumin seeds and bay leaves but you could use your favorite rice. Serves 6-8
Recipe Ingredients
- Chicken Curry
- - 2-inch Piece of Fresh Gingerroot, peeled and roughly chopped
- - 6 Garlic Cloves, peeled and roughly chopped
- - 3 lbs Boneless, Skinless Chicken Thighs
- - 2 tbsp Vegetable Oil
- - 4 Whole Cloves
- - 4-5 Green Cardamom Pods
- - 1 Cinnamon Stick
- - 2-3 Bay Leaves
- - 1 tbsp Cumin Seed
- - 3 cups Yellow Onion, diced
- - 1/4 cup Curry Powder, Madras Style or your favorite curry powder
- - 2 cups Crushed Tomato, fresh or canned
- - 1 qt. Chicken Stock or Chicken Broth
- - 2 cups 1-Inch Diced Potatoes
- - 1 tbsp Garam Masala
- - 1 tbsp Kosher Salt
- - 1 tsp Ground Black Pepper
- - 4 cups Seasoned Basmati Rice
- Southern India-Style Basmati Rice (Yields 4 Cups)
- - 1-1/2 tbsp Vegetable Oil
- - 1 Large or 2 Small Cinnamon Sticks
- - 1 tsp Cumin Seeds
- - 2 Large or 3 Small Dried Bay Leaves
- - 4 cups Water
- - 1 tsp Kosher Salt
- - 2 cups Basmati Rice
Recipe Instructions
Chicken Curry (Prep time: 1 hour)
- Puree a 2-inch piece of gingerroot and 6 garlic cloves in a blender or immersion blender. You may need to add water to get it going, but that’s okay as it will cook out. Once pureed set aside. Be sure to freeze any extra as I use gingerroot and garlic puree in many of my recipes.
- Trim most of the fat from the chicken thighs and cut into 1-inch pieces. Set aside.
- Heat a medium-size, heavy-bottomed saucepan over medium-high heat. Add the oil. Once the oil is hot and shimmering, add the whole cloves, cardamom pods, cinnamon stick, and bay leaves.
- When the bay leaves start to brown add the cumin seeds, which will pop and dance. Immediately add the onion. Turn the heat down to medium. Sauté the onion and spices until the onion becomes soft and translucent, about 5-7 minutes.
- Add 3 tablespoons of the gingerroot and garlic puree. Cook for another 2 minutes, stirring constantly.
- Add the chicken to the onion-spice mixture. Sauté the chicken for about 5 minutes, or until the chicken starts to turn white, stirring frequently.
- Add the curry powder. Stir constantly and cook for about 2 minutes over medium heat.
- Add the tomatoes. Stir and cover. Let it cook for about 5 minutes.
- Turn the heat to medium-high, pour in the chicken stock and potatoes. Bring to a boil. Once it’s boiling turn down to a simmer, cover, and let it cook until the chicken and potatoes are tender, about 30-35 minutes.
- Finally add the garam masala, and season with salt and pepper to taste.
Southern Indian Style Basmati Rice (Prep time: 35 minutes)
- Heat vegetable oil in a medium saucepan over medium-high heat. Once the oil shimmers, drop in the cinnamon stick, cumin seeds, and bay leaves. You’re tempering the spices which will add flavor to the oil which will season the rice. As soon as the bay leaves start to turn brown, which will happen very quickly, add the water and salt.
- Bring to a boil and add the basmati rice and stir. Cook the rice, uncovered, until most all the water is absorbed. It should be the consistency of loose oatmeal. Turn the heat to low, cover, and cook for 5 more minutes. Turn off the heat. Don’t remove the lid, don’t peek, just leave it alone and allow the rice to steam for at least 15 minutes.
- Remove the cinnamon stick and bay leaves before serving.