Indian Chicken

This chicken recipe has been a family favorite for as long as I can remember. My mom always said that it was a Weight Watcher's recipe; but on the recipe card that she gave me at my wedding shower, it says that it is from the Good Housekeeping Diet Book. Either way, it is delicious (and obviously low calorie), and I haven't met anybody who hasn't like it. 

The chicken is a bit spicy from the ginger, cayenne pepper and curry powder; but the heat is offset by the peaches and cottage cheese. I actually love the heat, so I use heaping measuring spoons when I mix my marinade. You should probably try it with leveled spoons the first time, especially if you have newly purchased spices. 

If you didn't know, spices can loose their potency when they sit in your cupboard. If you have had your spices for a while, you might want to think about replacing them. I'm not a big fan of throwing things out, but I AM a big fan of flavorful food. So, use your best judgement. Your taste buds and your nose will be your guide.

This chicken is best if it has marinated for at least 24 hours. Typically, I mix it one day and cook it two days later for dinner. I also love to make a double batch, marinate it all, then freeze half of it the day that I cook the other half. That way the chicken has had time to soak up the marinade before it freezes. 

What You Will Need:
2 Baking Sheets
Aluminum Foil

Ingredients:
4 Boneless, Skinless Chicken Breasts; cut in 1 inch pieces
1/2 teaspoon Ginger
1/8 teaspoon Cardamom
1/8 teaspoon Turmeric
1/8 teaspoon Crushed Red Pepper (Cayenne)
1 teaspoon Curry Powder
1 1/2 teaspoon Salt
1/8 teaspoon Prepared Mustard
1 Tablespoon Milk
2 teaspoons Lemon Juice (I used bottled lemon juice, but fresh squeezed would be better.)
1 Tablespoon Salad Oil
Paprika for sprinkling
1 small Onion, peeled & quartered
1 large can Peach Halves, drained

Directions:

Gather Ingredients

You actually don't need the onion at this point. You
won't use that until you are ready to cook your
chicken in a couple of days.

Cut chicken breasts into 1 inch pieces. Set aside.

Measure dry ingredients (ginger, cardamom, turmeric, red pepper, curry powder, and salt) into a large bowl.

Add mustard, milk, lemon juice and salad oil. Mix well.

Add chicken pieces. Mix well. Cover and refrigerated for at least 24 hours, but 36 - 48 hours is better.

OK, it is two days later and the family is hungry for some dinner. Pull that marinated chicken out of the fridge, and get ready to make some magic. 

Line two baking sheets with aluminum foil. (This step is optional, but it is so much easier to throw away the aluminum foil than it is to scrub those baking sheets clean.)
Set oven to broil.

Spread chicken out on an aluminum foil lined baking sheet. Sprinkle with paprika. Place onion quarters on the same baking sheet.

Place the baking sheet in the oven directly below the flame, and set your timer for 7 minutes.

While the chicken is cooking, open the can of peaches, and place them on the other baking sheet.

When the timer beeps, remove the baking sheet with the chicken from the oven. Flip the chicken, sprinkle with more paprika, and return to the oven below the flame. Place the baking sheet with the peaches on a lower oven rack. I know what you are thinking - canned peaches in the oven? Are you crazy? Sounds crazy, but I promise you won't be disappointed. 

Set your timer for 7 minutes again. (If you find that your chicken is cooking faster, reduce the time by a few minutes. You don't want your chicken to be dry, just cooked all the way through.)

When the timer beeps for a second time, remove both baking sheets from the oven. 

Serve the chicken with the warm peaches and cottage cheese.

MMMMmmm! Just looking at the picture now, I can taste the heat of the spices and the sweetness of the peaches. I think I am actually drooling. Thank God you can't see me. That would be embarrassing! 

I hope you enjoy this recipe as much as my family and I do. 

"What I love most about my home is who I share it with!"

Sheryl