Recipe: Crockpot Chicken Curry
One of my favorite cooking podcasts is "The Splendid Table". You can listen to this from their website or download the episodes from their website, or you can purchase a subscription of them via Audible or iTunes. If you just search the podcast in iTunes (without purchasing the subscription), you'll only get the call in portion of the show.
Anyway, one caller called in wanting a good source and recipe for her crockpot and the host (Lynn Rossetto Kasper) suggested a curry. She listed a few ingredients and techniques and that hooked me. However, she didn't give exact portions for the ingredients and well, I'm not that sure of myself when it comes to curry, so I kind of sought outside help when coming up with a curry blend. Once I got that down, I put it together pretty much as she said and let me tell you - this was GREAT!
So, here it is. Inspired by "The Splendid Table" and "Herb Mixtures & Spicy Blends" cookbook. You'll need to make the curry powder recipe first. Or go out and buy a curry powder blend that you like. (I don't think that means go out and buy Curry spice - I think those are two separate things.)
Pungent Curry Powder Recipe
recipe found in "Herb Mixtures & Spicy Blends" ISBN # 0-88266-91-4
4Tbsp Dried Coriander (I used ground)
2 tbsp ground Tumeric
1 1/2 Tbsp ground Cumin
1Tbsp Fenugreek (anyone know where to find this???)
1 1/2 tsp ground Black Pepper
1 1/2 tsp Poppy Seeds (didn't have this on hand)
1 1/2 tsp ground Ginger
1 1/2 tsp ground, dried red chile (I used chile powder)
3/4 tsp dried mustard
1/2 tsp ground cardamom (didn't have this on hand)
Blend and store in a tightly capped jar away from heat and light
Crockpot Chicken Curry
1 tbsp Vegetable Oil (or neutral flavored oil)
1 large Onion, sliced
3 boneless, skinless Chicken Thighs
3 Chicken thighs (with bone and skin) (trust me)
Pungent Curry Powder to taste (I used 2 tbsp and would use more next time)
1 can (14.5 oz) Light Coconut Milk
2 cups Trader Joe's Carrot Ginger Soup (or Chicken Broth)
1 can (14.5 oz) tomatoes, diced, drained (I used fresh since I had it on hand)
Put onion, oil and curry powder in crockpot and cook on high till onion is soft and fragrant (about 15 minutes).
Put chicken thighs on top of onion mixture and pour in the light coconut milk. Then pour in enough of the soup or broth to cover the meat. (About 2 cups)
Cook on high for 4 hours or on low for 6-8 hours.
Before serving, take out the thighs. Take the chicken off the bone and shred all the chicken and put back into the curry sauce. Mix well and serve over rice. You could probably add in other vegetables, but I haven't figured out that much yet.
Why the bone and skin chicken thighs. Well, when making chicken soup or just about any other kind of meat stock. Usually stock is made with bones. Because the bones are cooked for that long period of time, it makes soups and stocks richer and gives it a better mouth feel. I also wanted some of the fat from the skin, but I didn't want tons of fat if I had done all of them with skin. It may not make a difference, but that was my thinking when I purchased the chicken. Of course, I was starting to feel sick at this point, so who knows....
Anyway, this turned out yummy and I am definately going to make it again and next time add more curry. Now I need to go out and purchase some Fenugreek and Cardamom. I was missing that when I made the curry recipe.
Anyway, one caller called in wanting a good source and recipe for her crockpot and the host (Lynn Rossetto Kasper) suggested a curry. She listed a few ingredients and techniques and that hooked me. However, she didn't give exact portions for the ingredients and well, I'm not that sure of myself when it comes to curry, so I kind of sought outside help when coming up with a curry blend. Once I got that down, I put it together pretty much as she said and let me tell you - this was GREAT!
So, here it is. Inspired by "The Splendid Table" and "Herb Mixtures & Spicy Blends" cookbook. You'll need to make the curry powder recipe first. Or go out and buy a curry powder blend that you like. (I don't think that means go out and buy Curry spice - I think those are two separate things.)
Pungent Curry Powder Recipe
recipe found in "Herb Mixtures & Spicy Blends" ISBN # 0-88266-91-4
4Tbsp Dried Coriander (I used ground)
2 tbsp ground Tumeric
1 1/2 Tbsp ground Cumin
1Tbsp Fenugreek (anyone know where to find this???)
1 1/2 tsp ground Black Pepper
1 1/2 tsp Poppy Seeds (didn't have this on hand)
1 1/2 tsp ground Ginger
1 1/2 tsp ground, dried red chile (I used chile powder)
3/4 tsp dried mustard
1/2 tsp ground cardamom (didn't have this on hand)
Blend and store in a tightly capped jar away from heat and light
Crockpot Chicken Curry
1 tbsp Vegetable Oil (or neutral flavored oil)
1 large Onion, sliced
3 boneless, skinless Chicken Thighs
3 Chicken thighs (with bone and skin) (trust me)
Pungent Curry Powder to taste (I used 2 tbsp and would use more next time)
1 can (14.5 oz) Light Coconut Milk
2 cups Trader Joe's Carrot Ginger Soup (or Chicken Broth)
1 can (14.5 oz) tomatoes, diced, drained (I used fresh since I had it on hand)
Put onion, oil and curry powder in crockpot and cook on high till onion is soft and fragrant (about 15 minutes).
Put chicken thighs on top of onion mixture and pour in the light coconut milk. Then pour in enough of the soup or broth to cover the meat. (About 2 cups)
Cook on high for 4 hours or on low for 6-8 hours.
Before serving, take out the thighs. Take the chicken off the bone and shred all the chicken and put back into the curry sauce. Mix well and serve over rice. You could probably add in other vegetables, but I haven't figured out that much yet.
Why the bone and skin chicken thighs. Well, when making chicken soup or just about any other kind of meat stock. Usually stock is made with bones. Because the bones are cooked for that long period of time, it makes soups and stocks richer and gives it a better mouth feel. I also wanted some of the fat from the skin, but I didn't want tons of fat if I had done all of them with skin. It may not make a difference, but that was my thinking when I purchased the chicken. Of course, I was starting to feel sick at this point, so who knows....
Anyway, this turned out yummy and I am definately going to make it again and next time add more curry. Now I need to go out and purchase some Fenugreek and Cardamom. I was missing that when I made the curry recipe.