This Half Baked Harvest meal has become one of my favorite at-home Indian dinners! It does take a bit of time to make the sauce, but it's worth it! Serve with grilled naan! Leftoves heat up really well. We like it extra spicy, and a little creamier, which is adjusted in the recipe below.
Ingredients:
Chicken:
1/3 cup plain Greek yogurt
6 cloves garlic, minced
2 tablespoon fresh ginger, grated
1 tablespoon plus 2 teaspoons garam masala
2 teaspoons cayenne pepper
1 teaspoon salt
2 chicken breasts, cut into bite size pieces
2 tablespoon olive oil
2 tablespoons ghee or salted butter
2 medium shallots, diced
1 teaspoon cumin
1/2 teaspoon turmeric
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon cardamom
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
3 tablespoons tomato paste
1 (13.5 oz) can full-fat coconut milk
1/3 cup creamy cashew butter (I usually add a heaping 1/3 cup)
1/2 cup fresh cilantro, roughly chopping
1/2 cup toasted cashews
Rice:
3 tablespoon ghee or salted butter
3/4 teaspoon ground turmeric
1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
1 1/2 cups basmati rice
pinch salt
3 cups water
Preparation:
1. In a medium bowl, mix together greek yogurt with 3 cloves of minced garlic, 1 tablespoon of grated ginger, 2 teaspoons garam masala, 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper, and salt. Add chicken and toss to coat. Set aside to marinate for at least 5-10 minutes.
2. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Place cashew on a cookie sheet. Toast nuts for about 7-10 minutes, checking frequently as they as quick to burn. Set aside to cool.
3. While chicken marinates, start the rice. In a medium sauce pan, melt better over medium high heat. Add turmeric and crushed red pepper flakes. Add rice, tossing to coat. Let rice toast for 2 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add 3 cups water, stirring. Bright to a boil. Cover, turn heat to medium low and cook for 10 minutes. Turn the heat off, leaving rice covered, and let sit for 15 more minutes to let all the water absorb. Fluff rice with a fork.
4. While rice is cooking, start the chicken. In a large wide skillet, heat olive oil. Add chicken with marinade and sear chicken, cooking 3-5 minutes per side. Add 1 tablespoon of butter, tossing to coat. Remove chicken with a slotted spoon to a clean bowl. Cover bowl with foil.
5. In skillet, add shallots, cooking until soft, about 5 minutes. Add remaining 1 tablespoon butter, 3 cloves minced garlic, 1 tablespoon grated ginger, 1 tablespoon garam masala, 1 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper, and the cumin, turmeric, cinnamon, and cardamom. Season with salt and pepper. Stir to combine and cook until fragrant.
6. Add the tomato paste, stirring to incorporate, cooking until paste turns a deep, dark red.
7. Reduce heat to low. Add coconut milk and cashew butter. Stir to combine. Thin sauce with 1/4 cup water, stirring until mixture is a consistent texture. Bring sauce to a simmer and let it thicken, about 5 minutes.
8. Add chicken and juices back to the pan. Stir well. Let sauce chicken and chicken cook through, another 5-7 minutes.
9. Stir in cilantro. Season with salt and pepper, to taste.
10. Serve chicken and rice, garnished with additional cilantro with grilled naan. Enjoy!
Ingredients:
Chicken:
1/3 cup plain Greek yogurt
6 cloves garlic, minced
2 tablespoon fresh ginger, grated
1 tablespoon plus 2 teaspoons garam masala
2 teaspoons cayenne pepper
1 teaspoon salt
2 chicken breasts, cut into bite size pieces
2 tablespoon olive oil
2 tablespoons ghee or salted butter
2 medium shallots, diced
1 teaspoon cumin
1/2 teaspoon turmeric
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon cardamom
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
3 tablespoons tomato paste
1 (13.5 oz) can full-fat coconut milk
1/3 cup creamy cashew butter (I usually add a heaping 1/3 cup)
1/2 cup fresh cilantro, roughly chopping
1/2 cup toasted cashews
Rice:
3 tablespoon ghee or salted butter
3/4 teaspoon ground turmeric
1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
1 1/2 cups basmati rice
pinch salt
3 cups water
Preparation:
1. In a medium bowl, mix together greek yogurt with 3 cloves of minced garlic, 1 tablespoon of grated ginger, 2 teaspoons garam masala, 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper, and salt. Add chicken and toss to coat. Set aside to marinate for at least 5-10 minutes.
2. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Place cashew on a cookie sheet. Toast nuts for about 7-10 minutes, checking frequently as they as quick to burn. Set aside to cool.
3. While chicken marinates, start the rice. In a medium sauce pan, melt better over medium high heat. Add turmeric and crushed red pepper flakes. Add rice, tossing to coat. Let rice toast for 2 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add 3 cups water, stirring. Bright to a boil. Cover, turn heat to medium low and cook for 10 minutes. Turn the heat off, leaving rice covered, and let sit for 15 more minutes to let all the water absorb. Fluff rice with a fork.
4. While rice is cooking, start the chicken. In a large wide skillet, heat olive oil. Add chicken with marinade and sear chicken, cooking 3-5 minutes per side. Add 1 tablespoon of butter, tossing to coat. Remove chicken with a slotted spoon to a clean bowl. Cover bowl with foil.
5. In skillet, add shallots, cooking until soft, about 5 minutes. Add remaining 1 tablespoon butter, 3 cloves minced garlic, 1 tablespoon grated ginger, 1 tablespoon garam masala, 1 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper, and the cumin, turmeric, cinnamon, and cardamom. Season with salt and pepper. Stir to combine and cook until fragrant.
6. Add the tomato paste, stirring to incorporate, cooking until paste turns a deep, dark red.
7. Reduce heat to low. Add coconut milk and cashew butter. Stir to combine. Thin sauce with 1/4 cup water, stirring until mixture is a consistent texture. Bring sauce to a simmer and let it thicken, about 5 minutes.
8. Add chicken and juices back to the pan. Stir well. Let sauce chicken and chicken cook through, another 5-7 minutes.
9. Stir in cilantro. Season with salt and pepper, to taste.
10. Serve chicken and rice, garnished with additional cilantro with grilled naan. Enjoy!