Chicken & Tomato Curry
with perfect rice
I have loved Indian food forever, but only recently discovered a recipe or two that I can make at home that really taste the way I want them to. I have made this recipe several times and it always turns out great—and makes the house smell amazing!
This is not a typical curry— meaning, it’s not one of the famous red, yellow, or green curries I love so much— but it’s delicious nonetheless. This recipe has many spices that other curries have, like turmeric, cardamom, and cumin, but it has a unique flavor and aroma that will absolutely take over your house and have your mouths watering!
This dish takes a bit longer than my usual dinner recipes, but the active time is only about 30 minutes. Due to its longer cook time, it’s great for a weekend meal, or I suppose you could prep in the morning and throw everything into a crock pot (just make sure to cook it on the lowest setting so it doesn’t burn).
By the way, there is a trick to making perfect rice — rinsing a few times to remove the excess starch. It’s easy to do, though, and once you do it a few times, you’ll be an expert. The perfect rice formula is 1 lb of white or basmati rice (rinsed) + 2 cups of water + 1 tsp salt. Memorize this formula, and you’ll have one less thing to think about!
Chicken & Tomato Curry
Cook time: 1 hour 15 minutes (active time: 30 minutes)
Serves: 5-6
Flex Meal Note
Freeze chicken and ginger in air-tight bags or containers; everything else is shelf stable!
For Dietary Restrictions
Gluten free: this dish is gluten-free.
Dairy free: this dish is dairy-free.
Kids Can Help
Peel garlic, stir onions, open and drain tomatoes, measure spices
Ingredients
1 lb (about 2 ½ cups) uncooked white or Basmati rice
1 Tbsp olive oil or butter
5-6 chicken thighs (about 2.5 lb) (bone-in is best)
2 white or yellow onions
3-in piece of fresh ginger (for 3 Tbsp minced)
4 garlic cloves
2 28 oz cans diced tomatoes
3 Tbsp cumin (yes, tablespoons!)
2 tsp turmeric
1 tsp each salt and ground cardamom
½ tsp each cloves & nutmeg
A 2-inch stick of cinnamon
4 bay leaves
Directions
Step 1
Peel and mince the onions, garlic and ginger.
Step 2
In a deep (5.5 L or bigger) saute pan or large soup pot with a lid, heat 1 Tbsp of olive oil or butter over medium heat. Once the oil is hot, add the minced onions, garlic, and ginger to the pan. Lower heat and move on quickly to step 3.
Step 3
Add all spices to the pan including the bay leaves and cinnamon stick. Stir well to combine. Cook, stirring often, for 1-2 minutes.
Step 4
Remove the skin and any large lobes of fat from the chicken thighs. Add them to the pan and stir gently to coat with the spice mixture. Cook for about 5 minutes.
Step 5
Drain the canned tomatoes and add them to the pan, stirring well. Cover and raise the heat until the mixture is bubbling, then lower to a simmer. Simmer until rice is cooked (about 30-45 minutes), stirring occasionally to keep from sticking. While the curry is simmering, make the rice (step 6).
Step 6
We’re going to make a tried-and-true recipe for perfect rice. (Learn to make it this way and you’ll never have soggy or dry rice again! Bonus if you can memorize the recipe— then it’s one less thing to think about!)
First, empty the full 1 lb bag of white or basmati rice into your pot or rice cooker insert. Then, the trick: rinse the rice under cool water to remove the starch. You’ll rinse, swirl, and drain a few times until the water runs mostly clear. Drain as much of the water off as you can, then add 2 cups of water and 1 tsp of salt. Bring to a boil, then simmer on low until the rice is tender (or for best results, use a rice cooker).
Step 7
Once the rice is cooked, remove the chicken bones if desired and serve chicken & tomatoes over rice (or serve all separately for little ones!)