Taj Maholla! Chicken
- Level: Easy
- Yield: 8 servings
- Total: 2 hr
- Prep: 30 min
- Inactive: 30 min
- Cook: 1 hr
Ingredients
For the Chicken:
1 tablespoon canola oil
1/2 cup minced garlic
1/4 cup minced ginger
2 teaspoons chili powder
1 teaspoon turmeric
2 teaspoons Garam Masala, recipe follows
2 tablespoons pomegranate juice
2 pounds skinless, bone-in chicken thighs
For the Butter Sauce:
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 cup diced red onion
1 teaspoon minced ginger
1 teaspoon minced garlic
3 Roma tomatoes, seeded and chopped
1/2 teaspoon Garam Masala, recipe follows
1/2 teaspoon chili powder
1/2 teaspoon turmeric
1/2 cup heavy cream
2 tablespoons butter
2 teaspoons salt
2 teaspoons freshly ground black pepper
Garam Masala:
2 tablespoons cumin seeds
2 tablespoons coriander seeds
2 teaspoons black peppercorns
2 whole cardamom seeds, crushed
2 whole cinnamon sticks
4 cloves
1 bay leaf
Directions
- Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. In large saute pan, over medium heat, heat oil. Add garlic and ginger and slowly cook until soft, about 3 minutes. Add chili powder, turmeric, Garam Masala and pomegranate juice. Let cool slightly. Rub chicken well with mixture and bake in a shallow baking pan for 25 minutes. Chicken will be three-quarters of the way cooked. When chicken is cool to the touch, remove bones and shred meat into 1/2-inch pieces. Set aside.
- Meanwhile to make Butter Sauce: In a large skillet, heat olive oil over medium high heat. Saute onions, ginger and garlic until light brown, about 4 minutes. Add tomatoes and continue sauteing until tomatoes begin to fall apart, about 5 minutes. Add spices and continue to cook 5 minutes. Transfer to a blender and puree until smooth. Return puree back to pan and add cream and butter. Bring to a simmer and reduce for 5 minutes. Add shredded chicken and saute for 6 minutes more until chicken is cooked through. Add salt and pepper, to taste. Serve with basmati rice, if desired.
Garam Masala:
- In a small saute pan, over medium-high heat, lightly toast spices beginning with cumin and coriander. Toast until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add peppercorns and cardamom and continue to toast another minute. Add cinnamon, cloves, and bay leaf and toast another minute. In a spice grinder, grind to a fine powder. Keep spice blend stored in a tightly seared container for up to 4 weeks.