Chicken curry my way.

This is a takeoff on a chicken curry recipe I found on All Recipes. I swapped coconut milk for the water called for in the original recipe, and I added the cilantro. I think these changes improved the overall taste and texture of the dish. Bob said, “we can have this again” so I know it’s a winner.

Here’s what you’ll need:
3 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into about 1” cubes
1 big onion, chopped
1 t ground cinnamon
1 bay leaf
2 cloves garlic, smashed
¼ t ground ginger
1 t paprika
3 T curry powder – I used a hot madras curry, but mild would work fine, too
½ t Splenda (or sugar)
Pinch of salt
1 T tomato paste
¼ c olive oil
1 can unsweetened coconut milk
½ t cayenne pepper (or more if you like it extra spicy)
The juice of ½ lemon
A handful of cilantro, roughly chopped

Here’s how you make it:
1. In a big, deep skillet with a lid, sauté the onion in the oil until browned. Add the cinnamon, bay leaf, ginger, paprika, curry powder, Splenda and salt. Cook the spices with the onion for a couple of minutes, stirring to combine well. The mixture will become like a paste.
2. Add the chicken and mix to coat each piece with the yummy spices. Add the tomato paste and stir. Pour the coconut milk over all and stir to combine. Cover the skillet and simmer for about 20 minutes.
3. Right before serving, squeeze in the lemon juice, cayenne and about ½ the cilantro and stir to combine. Garnish with the rest of the cilantro.

I served this with a simple boxed cous cous (with about a teaspoon of curry powder added) and pitas to mop up the delicious sauce. Plain rice would also work. It was great the next day, too. It’s impressive enough to serve for company, but quick enough to make on a weeknight. Try it!