One Pot Curry Chicken and Rice
Mild Indian Spiced Curry Chicken cooked in one pot with flavorful Basmati Rice!
Posted By Savita
Mild Indian Spiced Curry Chicken cooked in one pot with flavorful Basmati Rice!
Friends, this one pot dinner comes with promise of a comforting and easy weekday meal and NO huge pile of dishes to wash! Sounds perfect?! Isn't it?
Curry Chicken being special favorite of everyone in my family..... Often, this one pot is my favorite to serve over weekdays! Where everyone loves the kitchen filled with Curry Chicken aroma, my secret favorite is: far less dishes to clean..... Start to end, you need ONE pot!
Plus flavor!? Like eating, Chicken Curry and Rice in your favorite Indian restaurant!
All component of Curry Chicken Pot help boost each other's flavor! Since chicken cooks in same pot and in same spices, rice absorbs a LOT of flavor from chicken and masala. Amazingly, I almost never have to use chicken stock for such one pot rice since chicken itself releases a lot of juices and flavor in the pot.
No Need to Pre-Marinate Chicken:
For similar reason, I never have to pre-marinate chicken for one pot or casserole recipes. All I do is: coat chicken in lemon and salt, then sprinkle with spices, mix and leave aside while I prepare rest of ingredients.
A flavor-explosion happens when that spice coated chicken is seared in pan, before going for a flavor-bath with ginger-garlic masala basmati rice!
Chicken Curry or Curry Chicken:
In my home, we don't address this dish as "curry" at all! We call it, "Chicken Chawal (Rice)". For blog, I was really wondering if I should call this, Curry Chicken and Chicken Curry?
Really, just by shuffling these two words, dish gets entirely new meaning. I did not want to confuse any one thinking, this is: "Chicken Curry that is chicken with curry gravy served over rice".
Rather, it is: "Curry Chicken and Rice that is curry spiced chicken cooked in one pot with rice". Do you too treat these two separately, or only I was overthinking? ;-)
You know what?! At the end, no matter how we shuffle these words....... result is a flavorful Indian Chicken Dinner, all prepared in one pot.
I would rate this curry mild spicy yet with very distinct flavor of Indian Masalas(spices). If same curry was prepared without rice, it may be little strong for some people. But, rice act as neutral flavor-absorbent base and hence overall taste is: a mild, delicious, savor-every-bite kinda curry. Serve some yogurt on side and you don't need anything else for dinner!
Diet Info: This Curry Chicken dinner is Gluten Free and also dairy free. Also, this one pot dinner is great to make ahead for up-to 2 days. Just re-heat and enjoy! Schools are opening shortly, you can also pack leftovers, for lunch, for your kiddos with yogurt on side! How good does that sound?
Friends, I hope you enjoying beginning of a new week! Wish you a great day ahead! - Savita
Few of my other favorite Chicken Curries:
Ingredients
- 1.5 lbs Chicken (bone-in chicken thighs, 3-4 count)
- 1 tsp Curry Powder
- 1.5 Cup Basmati Rice (or Jasmine Long Grain Rice, washed)
- 1/2 tsp Garam Masala
- 1/2 tsp Cumin Seeds
- 1 Cup Red Onion (1/2 red onion, coarse choped)
- 1/2 Cup Tomatoes (grated)
- 1 tbsp Ginger Garlic Paste (or fresh 1 inch ginger and 2-3 garlic cloves)
- 2 tbsp Canola Oil (or use grapeseed oil, per preference)
- 3 tbsp Lemon (juice)
- 1 Mace (Javitri) (1 blade)
- 1/2 tsp Cayenne Pepper
- 1 Star Anise (optional)
- 6 tbsp Cilantro (fresh leave and stems, small chopped)
- 1 tsp Salt (adjust per taste)
- 3 Cup Water
Directions
- 1. In a bowl, add lemon juice and 1/2 tsp salt. Add chicken, coat in lemon, sprinkle 1/2 tsp of curry powder and 1/4 tsp garam masala and set aside while we prep rest of ingredients.
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2. In a food processor, add onion, garlic, ginger (if not using paste) and process or grate to coarse texture mix. Set aside. Also, wash rice under running water, soak in fresh clean water and set aside. -
3. Heat oil in heavy bottom pan, add chicken seasoned skin side down. Reserve lemon juice of bowl. Sear chicken on high heat for 3 minutes each side or until skin is crisp caramelized. Drain on paper towel and set aside. -
4. In the same hot oil, add onion mixture and saute until onions are soft and started to change color (amber), just caramelize at the edges. (about 4 minutes) Don't let them too brown. -
5. Now, add remaining 1/4 tsp garam masala, 1/2 tsp curry powder, cumin seeds and cook for 30 seconds. Then add mace, star anise, cayenne, with 1/2 tsp of salt, reserved lemon juice, and grated tomatoes. Cook until tomatoes are soft, cooked, and oil starts to show on edges. (about 4 minutes) -
6. Add in rice (drain soaking water) and fresh 3 cups of water with half of chopped cilantro (3 tbsp), and mix well. Return chicken on top of rice, and bring to boil. Cover with tight lid, and cook for 12 minutes on medium heat. Additional Notes:
To ensure perfect seasoned one-pot rice every time, taste the water before adding chicken and adjust salt per liking, stir well, then add chicken. I end up with about 1.5 tsp salt for full seasoned flavor. -
7. After 12 minutes, switch-off heat and leave pot covered for 5 minutes. Now, remove chicken, fold in remaining cilantro, return chicken to pan and cover to keep warm until ready to serve!
Savita's Recipe Notes:
Whole mace blade has very strong bite. If it is still intact after cooking rice, then fish-out and discard it along with star anise.
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