Better butter chicken

For this recipe I refer to my copy of Janet and Greta Podleski's Eat, Shrink & Be Merry cookbook.  They're the authors of Crazyplates and Looneyspoons as well.  Good, low fat home cooking books.  I won my copy from the Chronicle Herald a little while back - it's a SIGNED copy, do you think it's worth much?  Well, it's worth lots to me because I love many recipes in it.  I guess that makes it priceless... nah, just sentimental worth.

This is a fast recipe, make it on a school night, TaeKwonDo night, gymnastics / swim practice night, violin lessons, Scouts... you get the idea.

Hopefully you'll have leftovers to put in the dreaded lunchbox the next day (you can use more than one chicken's meat as well, stretch the sauce out with up to a half of a chicken extra and this will freeze and thaw nicely in lunch-sized servings).  Oh how I do not enjoy making lunches when my kitchen is not well stocked.  On the flip side, I love to make lunches when there's lots to choose from and send School Boy or Working Man out the door in the morning with a little bag of love to carry them through their day.

Turns out, this recipe is already up online and is exactly what has been published in their cookbook.  Here is the recipe.  It's über easy when you use a rotisserie chicken from the grocery store.  Or maybe you have lots of cooked chicken meat in your freezer, pull it out and make this.

This is really good served over hot, fragrant basmati rice (or any rice you choose).  If you have time, feel free to make a batch of naan or chapatis, I love to eat with my hands when I can.

Do not be scared off by the list of ingredients, it's a few spices that really make the dish!  I do recommend opening the cans and having your spices measured in a little glass at the ready.

Ingredients

The Better Butter Chicken
from Eat, Shrink & Be Merry
2 Tbsp butter

1 cup chopped onions

2 tsp minced garlic

1 Tbsp grated fresh ginger (or 1 tsp dried)

1 tsp chili powder

½ tsp ground turmeric

¼ tsp ground cinnamon  

1 (19 ounce) can diced tomatoes, undrained

2 Tbsp tomato paste

1 Tbsp brown sugar

½ tsp salt

¼ tsp fresh ground black pepper

1 whole rotisserie-cooked chicken, skin removed and meat cut up (or more)

¹⁄₃ cup light cream (5%)

¼ cup light sour cream or light plain yogurt

1 Tbsp minced fresh cilantro I just can't stand cilantro, I never use it, this may be why

hot cooked basmati rice (optional)

- melt butter in a deep, 10-inch skillet over medium heat; add onions and garlic; cook slowly, stirring often, until onions are tender - about five minutes.

- add ginger, chili powder, turmeric and cinnamon; cook one more minute.
- add undrained tomatoes, tomato paste, brown sugar, salt and pepper; reduce heat to low; cover and simmer for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.

- add cut-up chicken, cream and sour cream; simmer, uncovered, for five more minutes.

- remove from heat and stir in cilantro; serve over hot basmati rice, if desired.

Onions, garlic, spices

Added tomatoes, tom paste, br sugar, S&P

Added chicken, cream and sour cream, all done.

Plated!  Yum!

Do you like how I underlined the last line in a chunk of the ingredients indicating a break in the instructions?  When I'm going back and forth between my work space and the recipe, I spend time scanning to see where I was and often draw a line right in my cookbook to indicate natural breaks in the recipe.  Should I continue this practice for you or not?