Category: Poultry

Ground Chicken Curry

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What if I told you this extremely unprofessionally plated curry is incredibly delicious and deserved some proper lighting and staging before I dove straight into it? Redolent with curry leaves and loads of earthy spices, this comforting ground chicken curry is perfect with basmati rice. You can serve it with yogurt and chutney too, or do like I do and serve it with tahdig and torshi for an Iranian-South Asian fusion situation.

Ingredients:

  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 1 pinch asafetida powder
  • 2 serrano chiles
  • 1 bay leaf
  • 5 to 10 curry leaves
  • 1 tablespoon dried fenugreek leaves
  • 2 teaspoons ground turmeric
  • 1 cup chopped onion
  • 2 tablespoons minced ginger
  • 4 garlic cloves, minced
  • 2 cups chopped tomatoes
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 cup Greek yogurt
  • 1 cup frozen peas
  • 2 pounds ground chicken
  • 5 tablespoons butter
  • 1 tablespoon black pepper
  • 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • 1 tablespoon ground cumin
  • 1 teaspoon Kashmiri chili powder
  • 1 tablespoon garam masala
  • 1/4 cup chopped cilantro
  1. Heat the olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add the asafetida, serrano chiles, bay leaf, curry leaves, fenugreek, 1 teaspoon of the turmeric, and the onion. Saute until the onion is tender, about 5 minutes.
  2. Add the ginger and garlic to the pot. Saute about 5 minutes, until they begin to brown, then add the tomatoes and 3/4 teaspoon salt. Reduce the heat to low and cook for 5 minutes. Remove from the heat.
  3. Transfer the onion and spice mixture to a food processor, reserving the pot. Add the yogurt to the food processor and pulse until a paste is formed, about 30 seconds. Set aside.
  4. Place the peas in the reserved pot over medium heat. Cook until they are thawed, about 1 minute. Add the ground chicken and 1 cup of water, stirring, then add the butter and cook until it is melted, about 5 minutes.
  5. Add the remaining teaspoon of turmeric, the Kashmiri chili powder, and remaining 1/2 teaspoon of salt, adding more salt to taste if needed. Stir in the yogurt paste. Cook, covered, for 10 minutes.
  6. Remove the pot from the heat, stir in the garam masala and cilantro, and serve with rice.

Thai-Style “Sausage” Lettuce Wraps

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This dish is very (emphasis on very) loosely based on the herby, spicy sausages that are ubiquitous in northern Thailand. These were everywhere when I visited Chiang Mai years ago: in the markets, at our hotel, and street vendors. And they were delicious.

This lighter, humbler version is adapted for a weeknight meal at home but it nevertheless satiates my craving for northern Thai food. Sometimes a piece of lettuce, some rice, and a bit of meat is all you need.

Ingredients:

For the chili dip:

  • 2 shallots, unpeeled
  • 1 head of garlic, unpeeled
  • 4 Anaheim chiles
  • 1 serrano or Thai chile
  • 2 tablespoons lime juice
  • 1 tablespoon chopped cilantro
  • 1 tablespoon fish sauce
  • 1 teaspoon sugar
  • Salt, to taste

For the “sausages”:

  • 1 pound ground chicken
  • 1 shallot, finely chopped
  • 2 makrut lime leaves, finely chopped
  • 2 teaspoons red curry paste
  • 2 tablespoons fish sauce
  • 2 tablespoons coconut milk
  • 1 teaspoon sugar
  • 2 tablespoons finely chopped cilantro
  • Salt, to taste
  • 1/4 cup avocado oil
  • Butter lettuce or similar, thinly sliced daikon, and cooked sticky or jasmine rice, for serving
  1. Make the chili dip: heat the broiler. Broil shallots, garlic, and Anaheim and serrano chiles on a rimmed baking sheet, turning halfway through, until charred in most spots, 5-8 minutes.
  2. Peel shallots, garlic, and chile, then coarsely chop. Transfer to a food processor and pulse to a coarse paste. Mix in lime juice, cilantro, fish sauce, and sugar; season with salt.
  3. Make the “sausage”: Combine chicken, shallot, lime leaves, curry paste, fish sauce, coconut milk, sugar, and cilantro in a medium bowl; season with salt. Using your hands, mix well until chicken is sticking to itself and mixture is smooth, about 3 minutes. Using wet hands, form about 2 tablespoon-sized scoops of chicken mixture into 1-inch thick patties.
  4. Heat oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Working in batches, cook patties until golden brown, about 2 minutes per side. Transfer to paper towels to drain.
  5. Serve patties with chile dip, lettuce, daikon, and rice.

Thai-Style Chicken and Rice

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This recipe is by no means authentic, and I’ve turned it into a sort of easy red curry-meets-larb situation but the results are delicious and healthy. All you need is 20 minutes and a skillet and you’re set.

Ingredients:
  • 1 red onion, thinly sliced
  • 1 3-inch piece ginger, peeled and cut into thin matchsticks
  • 2 cups cooked jasmine rice
  • 1 tablespoon Thai red curry paste
  • 3 tablespoons lime juice
  • 1 tablespoon plus 1 1/2 teaspoons fish sauce
  • 1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon sugar
  • 2 tablespoons plus 2 teaspoons avocado oil
  • 1 pound ground chicken
  • 1 serrano chile, thinly sliced
  • 1 cup salted dry-roasted peanuts
  • 1 cup cilantro leaves
  • 1/2 cup mint leaves
  • Lettuce leaves and lime wedges, for serving
  1. Place red onion and ginger in a medium bowl of ice water and let soak while you prepare the chicken and rice.
  2. Using your hands, toss rice and half of curry paste in a medium bowl to roughly coat. Set aside.
  3. Stir lime juice, fish sauce, and sugar in a large bowl until sugar is dissolved.
  4. Heat 2 teaspoons oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high. Add chicken and spread into a thin, even layer; season with salt. Cook, undisturbed, until golden brown underneath, about 5 minutes. Add remaining curry paste and cook, stirring and breaking up into bite-size pieces, until chicken is cooked through, about 2 minutes. Transfer to bowl with dressing.
  5. Heat remaining 2 teaspoons oil in the same skillet. Add reserved rice mixture and cook, undisturbed, until slightly golden underneath, about 5 minutes. Continue to cook, stirring occasionally, 1-2 minutes. Remove from heat and add to bowl with dressing and chicken.
  6. Drain red onion and ginger; add to bowl with chicken and rice, along with chile, peanuts, cilantro, and mint. Mix to combine.
  7. Transfer rice mixture to a platter. Serve with lettuce for wrapping and lime wedges for squeezing over.

Butter Chicken

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Butter chicken is ubiquitous on every Indian restaurant menu, but there’s no reason you can’t make it at home. This warming dish is easily made a day ahead and can reheated to be served with rice. I like to serve it with tahdig, sabzi khordan, and torshi on the side for an Indian-Iranian mashup. Trust me, it works.

Ingredients:
  • 1 teaspoon garam masala
  • 2 teaspoons ground cumin
  • 1 teaspoon ground turmeric
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground cardamom
  • 1/2 teaspoon paprika
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground oregano
  • 2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken thighs, quartered
  • 3 tablespoons avocado oil or ghee
  • 1/2 onion, chopped
  • 4 garlic cloves, minced
  • 2 teaspoons peeled and grated ginger
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1 15-ounce can crushed tomatoes
  • 4 tablespoons (1/2 stick) butter
  • 1 cup coconut milk
  • 1 bay leaf
  • 1 teaspoon lemon juice, plus more to taste
  1. In a large bowl, stir together the garam masala, cumin, turmeric, cardamom, paprika, cinnamon, and oregano. Add the chicken and turn to coat all the pieces. Set aside for 10 minutes.
  2. Heat a Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add 2 tablespoons of the oil and the onion and cook, stirring frequently, until translucent, about 3 minutes. Add the garlic and ginger and cook for another minute, stirring.
  3. Add the remaining 1 tablespoon oil to the pan, then add the chicken and any leftover spices and sprinkle with the salt. Cook for 5 minutes, turning the chicken halfway through when it releases easily from the pan, then add the crushed tomatoes, butter, coconut milk, bay leaf, and lemon juice. Reduce the heat to medium-low and let simmer, stirring occasionally, until the chicken is cooked through and tender, about 30 minutes. Season with additional salt and lemon juice, if desired. Serve warm.

Chicken Laksa

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What’s more comforting than noodle soup? Nothing. A fragrant coconutty broth and sprinkling of bright toppings have made this my favorite laksa since the one I had in Singapore.

You can make the laksa paste, fry the crispy shallots, and cook the chicken ahead of time so that the final soup assembly is a breeze. Finally, good laksa at home.

Ingredients:

For the laksa paste:

  • 3 medium shallots, chopped (about 3/4 cup)
  • 4 lemongrass stalks, sliced (about 1/2 cup)
  • 1/4 cup avocado oil
  • 1 4-inch piece fresh ginger, peeled and sliced (about 1/2 cup)
  • 4 small dried red chiles (deseeded if you like your laksa less spicy)
  • 3 large garlic cloves, smashed
  • 1 cup chicken stock, divided
  • 1/2 cup peanuts
  • 2 teaspoons minced anchovies
  • 2 teaspoons ground turmeric
  • 2 teaspoons ground coriander
  • 1 teaspoon coconut sugar or brown sugar

For the soup:

  • 2 tablespoons avocado oil
  • 4 cups chicken stock
  • 1 15-ounce can coconut milk
  • 2 tablespoons fish sauce, plus more to taste
  • 10 ounces dried rice noodles
  • 2 8-ounce cooked boneless, skinless chicken breasts, sliced
  • 1 cup fresh bean sprouts
  • 4 green onions, sliced (about 1/2 cup)
  • 1/2 cup loosely packed fresh mint leaves
  • 1/2 cup loosely packed fresh cilantro leaves
  • 1/4 cup fried shallots
  • 1 lime, cut into 4 wedges
  1. Make the laksa paste: combine shallots, lemongrass, oil, ginger, red chiles, garlic, and 1/2 cup stock in a blender; process until mixture forms a thick, smooth paste, about 30 seconds. Add peanuts, anchovies, turmeric, coriander, sugar, and remaining 1/2 cup stock to blender; process until smooth, about 30 seconds.
  2. Make the soup: heat oil in a large Dutch oven over medium. Add laksa paste, and cook, stirring constantly, until fragrant, 4 to 6 minutes. Whisk in stock and coconut milk; bring to a boil over high. Reduce heat to medium-low, and simmer, covered, 10 minutes. Remove from heat. Mix in fish sauce, and add more to taste, if desired.
  3. While stock mixture simmers, cook rice noodles according to package directions. Divide rice noodles evenly among 4 bowls. Arrange sliced chicken evenly on noodles. Ladle hot stock mixture evenly into bowls. Top evenly with bean sprouts, green onions, mint, cilantro, fried shallots, and lime wedges.