Family Meals: Paula’s Special (one pot) Curry Chicken (with vegetables)

Growing up, we traveled often. That allowed me to be exposed to many different culinary influences.  We discover along the way what we like and don’t like.  Living in England, there were curry shops everywhere.  English Curry and Chips (which is actually Indian) has been popular far longer than Canadian Poutine.  There is a wide variety of curry which is adapted and influenced by geographical location.

Curry originates from the Indian Subcontinents and Southeast Asia. The most common spices found in most curry powders adapted by the Indian subcontinent are turmeric, coriander and cumin. Thai Curry likes to spice it up with more chili peppers , but the most common commercial curry powders available in Britain, the U.S and Canada are dense in turmeric producing a yellow hued sauce.  Curry powders originating from India product red, yellow and brown. While I have fond memories of English Curry, I found my true curry love in the Caribbean.  The Caribbean love of curry was influenced from East India.  Jamaican curry tends to be bright yellow, sometimes with a greenish tinge (think curry goat) fusing allspice with pimento, and omitting cardamom, star anise and mace.

When it comes to cooking curry dishes for your family, unless you have been raised eating curry from young, not everyone can take heavy hands of pepper.  East Indian and Thai curries can get heavy with chili while, West Indian and Caribbean curries can get a bit (too) heavy in Scotch bonnet.  What ever curry you prefer, you can find one as mild or as hot as you’d like.  I like a mild curry, packed with flavors but not heavy with heat.

Over the years, I’ve adapted my own family friendly Curry Chicken Recipe.  It is hand’s down, the most requested dish by family and friends who’ve been lucky enough to bless their palate with this unique curry dish.  Dubbed “Paula’s (Mom’s) Special Curry Chicken”  Packed with flavor and a tiny kiss of heat on your tongue, just to remind you, you are actually eating curry, it also has a slight sweetness that signals it’s not as bad as you thought.  This streamlined recipe is done using one pot so there is less mess to clean up.  The use of chicken breast meat instead of boned chicken grants it a gourmet and kid-friendly status.

This recipe makes enough to serve a family of 6 with left-overs. Serve over Steamed Scented Jasmine rice for a delicious, fragrant week night meal.

Do you like Curry?

What type pleases your palate the most? Leave me a comment below, I’d love to know!

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Paula’s Special (one pot) Curry Chicken (with vegetables)

Ingredients

• 6 Boneless, Skinless, Chicken Breasts (diced into bite sized pieces)
• 1 Medium Onion (diced)
• 2 Cloves of Garlic
• 2 Branches of Fresh Thyme
• 1/4 C of Curry Powder
• 5 Allspice seeds
• 1.5 lb of White Potatoes (peeled and diced)
• 2 Cups of Mixed Frozen Vegetables
• 4 tbsp Creamed (grated) Coconut
• 4 tbsp Raw Honey
• 1 Cup Sunflower Oil (for frying)
• 1 Cup of water
• 1 Cup of Chicken stock

Instructions

1. Cut the chicken breasts up into bite-sized pieces and combine with 1/8 Cup of Curry powder. Let marinade at least 1 hour, overnight is best.
2. While Chicken is marinading, peel and dice potatoes into bite-sized pieces
3. In a tbsp of oil, sautee the onion until transparent, add grated garlic and saute until just turning brown. Remove onions and Reserve.
4. In the same pot, add the rest of the oil and heat on medium-high. Once the pot is hot, carefully add the chicken, stir until chicken is coated in oil (to help prevent sticking)
5. Once the chicken is brown on all sides, add the diced potatoes and let brown for 5 minutes
6. Drain out any extra oil.
7. Add the sauteed garlic and onion, thyme, and diced potatoes.
8. Add 1 cup of chicken stock and enough water just to the top of the chicken and potatoes.
9. Stir in remaining curry powder
10. Cover and simmer for 30 minutes or until the potatoes are done.
11. When the potatoes are done add in mixed vegetables and let simmer until the vegetables are cooked through.
12. Stir in grated creamed coconut and raw honey
13. Remove Thyme branches and Allspice seeds (I tie the seeds up in cheesecloth to retrieve with ease)

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My Favourite curry blend to use is Montego Jamaican Style Curry Powder.  I usually buy “Mild” but the last time I went to the West Indian Store.. they only had hot.  Which, wasn’t near as hot as I thought it would be!