Creamy Curry Chicken

I have been looking forward to making this dish since I put it on my monthly menu planner!! I love the combination of curry and cream, that smooth warmness that covers your tongue and glides down your throat - warming you up from the inside.... This winter is quite colder than the previous 4 years, and in my thatch roof house it is freezing. I am still hoping for really cold weather, though - the ants still haven't left! But it is cold, and this is one heart-warming, tummy-smiling dish that appealed to even my curry-picky kids!

This recipe has two sauce options. I made it with 2 sauces, but you can only use one. I just loved the combination of flavours! If you only want to make it with 1 sauce, only use 500ml water. 1L water is still a lot of sauce, even for the double sauce option, so you may want to use only 750ml. Note that my suggestions is based on frozen chicken pieces which has a lot of extra water. If you use fresh pieces, your water requirement will be different. 

It is easiest to use an oven-proof pot, which then also makes this delectable dish, a one-bowl winner!

Ingredients:

2 onions, chopped

100g margarine 

1tbs mild curry

1t strong curry

1tbs cardamon seeds

1tbs whole black pepper

2 bay leaves

4 whole cloves

1tbs whole coriander

2t turmeric

1tbs parsley

1/4t all spice

1x chicken stock block

1L water (for a lot of sauce) OR 500ml water (for less sauce)

1/2 cup cream

2tbs cornflour

1x chicken soup powder packet

1x brown onion soup powder packet

7 - 9x pieces chicken (frozen)

Method

1. Melt the margarine and add the onions. Fry till soft.

2. Add the curries, seeds, pepper, bay leaves, cloves, coriander, turmeric, parsley and all spice and fry a little. Don't let it burn! Burnt curry is bitter.

3. Dissolve the chicken stock block in the warm water and add to the pot. Stir well.

4. Add the chicken pieces. Cover the pot and put in the oven at 150 degrees C for about 2 hours. The chicken must be well done.

5. After +- 2 hours, remove the pot from the oven. 

Option 1 - Single sauce

6. Scoop out 500ml - 1L sauce. Dissolve the soup powders in the sauce, add the cream and cornflour and pour back over the chicken pieces.

7. Put the pot back in the oven, uncovered, at 180degreesC, until the sauce thickens.

Option 2 - Double sauce

6. Scoop out 500ml - 1L sauce. Dissolve the soup powders in the sauce.

7. Scoop out another 500ml sauce into a saucepan. 

8. Pour the soup mix over the chicken. Put the pot back in the oven, uncovered, at 180degreesC, until the sauce thickens. Stir occasionally.

9. Add the cream, cornflour and zest to the sauce in the saucepan. Cook on the stove till it thickens.

Serve warm with rice.

Yours in oil and veggies

Risch