Curry Chicken

"Curry" is a word that has different meanings depending on how it's used.  The entomology of the word comes from use of the leaves of a curry tree, technically Murraya koenigii or Bergera koenigi, a tropical tree native to Asia.  The fresh leaves are used to season Curry dishes in India to this day, however, modern interpretations of Curry very often no longer actually contain curry leaves.

"Curry" is also a word that refers to a whole genre of cooking. Curry dishes from the Indian sub-continent, Southeast Asia, Great Britain and the Caribbean are generally going to consist of a tomato-based sauce, flavored with onions, ginger, garlic and chili peppers and a variety of spices, often including turmeric, cumin, coriander, cinnamon, and cardamom.  All manner of vegetables and proteins will round out the dish, including and perhaps most commonly, chicken.

Outside of South Asia, Curry is often prepared without the tomato base and in a creamier sauce seasoned with a pre-made spice mixture known as curry powder. Curry powder actually found its way to the western world when British soldiers were returning from conquests of colonial India in the 18th century.  Spice traders began blending various concoctions of granulated spices that invariably included turmeric, coriander, cinnamon, cumin, black pepper, ginger, and cardamom.

There is a big difference between what we call Curry in the U.S. and what the typical household in India might consider as Curry.  I recall looking for houses in Texas with a realtor in the early 2000s, and it was very easy to determine a dwelling that had been previously inhabited by a family from India because their house reeked of Curry. U.S. palates prefer a much milder and far less odoriferous version of this delectable dish.

Curry powder became popular in the U.S. in the 1950s and cookbooks of the era have many recipes for Curry Chicken as well as other dishes made with the bilious yellow spice blend, like Curry Eggs, Curry Soup, Curry Dip and Curry Rice.  As with Curry found in India, Asia and the Caribbean, Curry Chicken carries a wide range of possibilities and preparation methodologies depending on regional customs and chefs' preferences.

This particular recipe is an adaptation from a Good Housekeeping series of cookbooks, circa 1980.  It perhaps best typifies what we consider as a good Curry Chicken dish in the U.S. that would arguably be much too mild for the South Asian palate. The recipe includes five condiments for topping your Curry according to personal tastes, but I recommend them all.  If you can find it, Major Grey's Chutney is also considered a traditional accompaniment, but it's not essential to the recipe.

I used chicken tenders because that's what I had on hand.  It made the dicing preparation a lot easier than using a whole boneless, skinless chicken breast, but you can certainly use the latter.

Ingredients
1-1/2 lb chicken tenders or boneless, skinless chicken breasts, diced into 1" cubes
1/2 medium yellow onion (about a cup), finely diced
1 stick (8 tbsp) butter
1/3 cup all-purpose flour, plus 1/3 cup more for the slurry
1 tbsp curry powder (like Spice Islands)
2 cups chicken stock (like Swanson's or Kitchen Basics)
1-1/2 cups whole milk (or substitute 3/4 cup 2% milk with 3/4 cup heavy cream)
1 table packet Splenda (you can substitute 2 tbsp honey)
1 tbsp lemon juice
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp ginger powder
freshly ground black pepper to taste

Ingredients
For the Condiments:
2-3 scallions (only the green stems), very thinly sliced
2-3 oz golden raisins (like, Sun-Maid)
2-3 strips cooked crispy bacon, finely chopped
2-3 oz shredded coconut (like, Baker's Angel Flake)
2-3 oz dry roasted peanuts (like Planter's lightly salted)

The Recipe
Prepare your condiments first. Pulse the peanuts in a small food processor several times so they are thoroughly chopped but not granulated. Place your condiments in small bowls or ramekins for service at the dinner table.

Prepare the slurry by mixing the 1/3 cup of flour with about a cup of water and blend thoroughly.  Set this aside for now.

Over medium heat in a large skillet, melt the butter and then sauté the chicken until all the pink is gone, about 3 minutes, plus a couple of minutes more to ensure the pieces are thoroughly cooked through.  Remove to a platter with a slotted spoon.

Add the yellow onions, and sauté until they begin to brown and caramelize, 7-8 minutes.

Add the 1/3 cup flour and the curry powder to the butter and onions, and blend well to make a roux.  Cook for about a minute.

Gradually add the chicken stock and blend well with the roux, then add the milk, stirring all the while. Bring the sauce to a simmer and assess its thickness.  You want the sauce at a consistency of a hearty cream soup and it's a safe bet this is when you'll need your slurry.  Give it a good stir before using to be sure the flour and water is evenly mixed.

Add a few tablespoons of the slurry to the sauce as it simmers and stir well to combine.  As the sauce simmers, it will thicken.  Keep doing this until you get your sauce to the desired consistency.  I used it all on this occasion.  Be sure to simmer the sauce for a full minute after you've finished adding the slurry, and stir constantly to keep it from sticking to the bottom of your skillet.

Add the salt, ginger, Splenda, lemon juice and lots of freshly ground black pepper.  Stir to combine, then return the chicken to the pan, including any juices that have accumulated on the platter, and heat through for a couple of minutes.

Serve the Curry Chicken over Jasmine or Basmati Rice, and top with your choice of the condiments.  Serve with some simple sliced tomatoes on the side, drizzled with a bit of balsamic vinegar.