Cooking Therapy

One of my favorite meals to eat either at home or out is Butter Chicken. Punjabi Indian by origin, it is enjoyed the world over. For my recipe, I decided to pair the savory, spicy butter chicken with  sweet, sticky coconut rice. The combination makes for a delectable meal that make it enjoyable even the following few days, if there are any leftovers left.

Butter Chicken with Coconut Rice

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Prep Time 1 hour hr 30 minutes mins

Cook Time 1 hour hr 30 minutes mins

Total Time 3 hours hrs

Servings: 4 servings

Course: Dinner

Cuisine: Asian

Ingredients Method

Ingredients

  

• 3 large chicken breasts cleaned and cubed
• 2 tablespoons garam masala
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1 ½ tablespoons ground cumin
• 1 tablespoon turmeric
• Cilantro leaves
• 1 ½ cups Greek yogurt
• 2 tablespoons lemon juice
• 1 stick unsalted butter
• 1 yellow onion diced
• 3 garlic cloves minced
• 3 tablespoons vegetable oil
• 3 tablespoons freshly shaved ginger
• 2 jalapeno seeded and diced
• 2 tomatoes diced
• 1 teaspoon tomato paste
• ½ cup chicken stock
• ½ cup heavy cream
• Salt
• 4 cups jasmine rice
• 3 cup water
• 2 cup unsweetened coconut milk

Method

 

For the chicken

1. In a large bowl, mix together the yogurt, lemon juice, garam masala, cumin and turmeric and add the chicken. Refrigerate for an hour so the chicken can marinate
2. In a semi-deep pan or Dutch oven, add the butter and oil and cook the onions until they become translucent
3. Then add the garlic, ginger, and cook until the onions brown.
4. Add the jalapeno, tomatoes, cinnamon, and a pinch of salt to taste. Cook until the jalapeno softens and the tomatoes become mushy
5. Add the chicken with the marinade and the chicken stock to the pot and bring to a boil.
6. Lower the heat to a medium low setting and let it simmer for half an hour
7. Add the tomato paste and cream and stir it in. Cook for another 20 minutes until chicken is cooked through
8. Let simmer on a low heat while you prepare the rice
9. *Tip* If it tastes too acidic due to the tomatoes, add some sugar, until it reaches desired taste and it is not too acidic

For the rice

1. Add the water, coconut milk, rice, and a pinch of kosher salt to a pot and bring to a boil.
2. Once the water is boiling, lower the setting to a medium-low and let simmer. Cover the pot.
3. Let cook for 15 minutes.
4. Once rice is cooked through, let it sit, fluff it and shut the heat off.

Serving

1. Add the rice to a place and top off with the butter chicken. Garnish it with the cilantro leaves and enjoy.