Healthy Butter Chicken - yes, that's possible!!

I love butter chicken, but I don't love the calories! So this is my recipe for perfect restaurant style butter chicken (minus the calories).

A note - There's 3 things to Butter chicken - 2 marinades, and then the gravy itself.
Most butter chicken recipes I've read talk about marinating and leaving for a while. However, while educating myself about the process of marination, I've read that marinating anything beyond 20 mins does little to add additional flavor. That's why I don't bother marinating anything for hours. Usually it's just minutes, while I'm cooking the gravy, and because I'm a lazy cook who doesn't plan in advance :P
All spices/herbs are as per taste. Where needed, the recipe has specific measures.

Recipe:

The chicken -

Marinade 1
Defrost the chicken, take it out of the package and put in a bowl.
Add juice of 1 lemon, turmeric powder, and red chili powder (non-spicy, for color - It's called degi mirch in India. In US, it's paprika).
Optional - add a tsp of mustard oil if you have it on hand (to add more complexity to the flavors). Let it sit for 5-30 mins, however long you have. I left it for 5 mins.

Marinade 2
Add 2 giant tbsp of yogurt - hung curd/Greek yogurt (since it's thick!! You want as little water as possible), 1 tbsp of dry roasted kasuri methi (crushed between your palms), ginger, garlic paste. Let it sit for as long as u have in refrigerator. I let it sit for 10 mins on the kitchen counter while I made the gravy (like I said, I'm a super lazy cook!).

Now all you have to do is roast it.
Lay it on a foil lined baking tray & use the broiler setting in the oven in US; highest setting possible in ovens in India. For those who don't have access to an oven, you could cook it in a pan on high flame (sear it, so that it seals and has a nice brown layer outside - no need to cook through & through).
We want a char/brown layer on it (called the Maillard reaction - read on this for more insights into flavorful cooking). Take it out even if it's not cooked fully. So long as you have that char (oven cooked) like in tandoori chicken or the browning of the meat on the outside (pan seared), it's ready to be tossed into the gravy.

Gravy -

1tbsp Butter/oil, add 2/3 cardamom, a bit of cinnamon, some grated nutmeg, more ginger, garlic & lots of tomato purée (1 large can for a lb chicken)
Keep stirring & cooking till its dry (really really dry) until there's absolutely no liquid left (since this is the 'lean' version of butter chicken, we will be adding milk instead of cream and that will be the liquid base).
Add turmeric, more paprika/degi Mirch, salt. Add the roasted chicken and cook for 3-5 mins or until chicken is done. Switch off, add 2 heaping tbsp of dry roasted kasuri methi (crushed between your palms). Add whole milk until you get the perfect sweet/tangy flavor and color of butter chicken (I had to add about 200ml, and could have added more).
Add a tiny bit of butter if you haven't already added it before. Cilantro/coriander leaves for garnish. Serve with naan/rice.

Aarti's Lemon Basil Chicken Salad

Lemon Basil Chicken Salad

INGREDIENTS

• 3 cups Cooked Chicken
• 2 whole Lemons, Juiced And Zested
• 3 Tablespoons Olive Oil
• 1/2 cup Mayonnaise
• Salt And Pepper, to taste
• 1 Tablespoon Prepared Pesto
• 1/2 cup Green Peas
• 12 whole Basil Leaves, Chiffonade (more To Taste)
• 1/4 cup Pine Nuts, Toasted
• Salt And Pepper, to taste

INSTRUCTIONS

Mix together lemon juice, olive oil, mayonnaise, salt & pepper, and pesto until creamy and smooth. Taste and adjust seasonings as you’d like.

Combine chicken, peas, basil, and pine nuts in a bowl and stir together. Pour on dressing to taste and toss to combine. Add 1 tablespoon lemon zest and squeeze in lemon juice. Add salt and pepper to taste.

Toss to combine and refrigerate for at least 1 hour before serving. Serve over lettuce with grapes on the side!

Aarti's Coconut Curry Shrimp

Coconut Curry Shrimp

INGREDIENTS

• 2 Tablespoons Butter
• 1-1/2 pound Peeled And Deveined Raw Shrimp (I Used U10, But Any Size Is Fine)
• 1 whole Medium Onion, Finely Diced
• 4 cloves Garlic, Minced
• 1 Tablespoon Curry Powder
• 1 can (13 1/2 Oz. Size) Coconut Milk (I Used "A Taste Of Thai" Brand)
• 2 Tablespoons Honey, More To Taste
• 1/4 teaspoon Kosher Salt (more To Taste)
• 1 whole Lime, Juiced
• Hot Sauce, Optional
• 12 whole Basil Leaves, Chopped, Plus More For Garnish
• 2 cups Basmati Rice--cooked According To Package Directions

INSTRUCTIONS

Heat the butter in a large skillet (I used non-stick) over medium-high heat. Add the shrimp and cook for 2 to 3 minutes, turning them over halfway through, until fully cooked. Remove to a plate and set aside.

Add the onion and garlic to the skillet and stir to cook for 2 minutes. Sprinkle the curry powder over the onions and continue cooking the onions, stirring, for another couple of minutes. Reduce the heat to medium-low and pour in the coconut milk, stirring to combine. Add honey, salt, and lime juice, and allow the sauce to heat up until bubbling gently. Add shrimp into the sauce, tossing to coat, and allow it to simmer for 2 to 3 minutes or until slightly thickened. Taste the sauce and add more salt, lime juice, or honey depending on your taste. Stir in the basil. (Add hot sauce if you want a little kick.)

Serve shrimp and sauce over a bed of cooked basmati rice, garnishing with more basil. Delicious!

Aarti's Chicken Florentine Pasta

Chicken Florentine Pasta

INGREDIENTS

• 1 pound Penne
• 4 whole Boneless, Skinless Chicken Breasts
• Salt And Pepper, to taste
• 2 Tablespoons Butter
• 2 Tablespoons Olive Oil
• 4 cloves Garlic, Minced
• 3/4 cups Dry White Wine
• 3/4 cups Low-sodium Broth, More If Needed
• 1 bag Baby Spinach
• 2 cups Grape Tomatoes, Halved Lengthwise
• 4 ounces, weight Parmesan Cheese, Shaved With Vegetable Peeler

INSTRUCTIONS

Cook pasta according to package directions in lightly salted water. Drain and set aside.

Cut chicken breasts into chunks and sprinkle on salt and pepper.

Heat butter and olive oil over high heat in a large skillet. Add chicken chunks in a single layer and do not stir for a minute or two in order to allow the chicken to brown on the first side. Turn the chicken and brown on the other side. Cook until done, then remove chicken from the skillet.

Turn heat to medium. Add garlic and quickly stir to avoid burning. After about 30 seconds, pour in wine and broth, stirring to deglaze the pan. Allow the liquid to bubble up, then continue cooking until it's reduced by at least half (most of the surface of the liquid should be bubbling at this point.)

Turn off the heat. Add spinach, tomatoes, chicken, and cooked pasta to the skillet. Toss to combine; the spinach will wilt as you toss everything. Add plenty of Parmesan shavings and toss to combine.

Serve with extra Parmesan shavings.

Pratiksha's Chicken Kaati Roll

1. Boneless chicken- 400gm
2. Red chilli powder- 1tbsp
3. Turmeric powder – ¼ tsp
4. Corn flour – 2 tsp
5. Salt – to taste
6. Oil – 3 tbsp (for frying)

Method

1. Marinate the chicken pieces with the remaining ingredients except oil and keep it aside for an hour.
2. Heat oil in a pan and fry till just cooked. Keep it aside.

Ingredients for filling

Ingredients

1. Onion – 2, big (finely chopped)
2. Crushed ginger – garlic – 1 tsp
3. Tomato – 1, big (chopped)
4. Red chili powder – 1 tsp
5. Coriander powder – ½ tsp
6. Pepper powder – ¾ tsp
7. Garam masala powder – ½ tsp
8. Cumin powder – ¼ tsp
9. Coriander leaves – 3 tbsp
10. Salt - to taste
11. Oil – 2 tbsp

Method

1. Heat oil in a pan, add the chopped onion and salt and saute till soft. To this add crushed ginger – garlic and saute till the raw smell disappear.
2. Add the chopped tomato to this and saute till soft. Add all the spice powder and saute till oil appears on top. Add the fried chicken to this and cook for another 5 minutes.
3. Add coriander leaves, combine and remove from fire. Keep it aside.

Other ingredients

Ingredients

1. Chapathi dough – to make 6 – 7 chapathi
2. Egg – 3 (whisked in a bowl with little salt)
3. Onion – 1, big (finely chopped and mixed with ½ tsp lemon juice and a pinch of salt))

Method

1. Make 6 – 7 balls out of the dough. Roll one of the dough balls to the size of chapathi and move it to a hot pan cook little on both sides. Pour little egg on one side of the chapathi and cook till done.
2. Remove this from the pan, add some chicken filling, sprinkle little chopped onion with lemon juice and roll it tightly. Cover it with aluminum foil.
3. Repeat the same procedure to make more Chicken Frankie. Serve hot.

Shamika's Sister's Laksa

CHICKEN AND PRAWN LAKSA

A popular Thai dish – chicken and prawns cooked in a flavourful gravy and served with noodles

Preparation Time : 15 minutes
Cooking Time : 30 minutes
Servings : 4

INGREDIENTS
Boneless chicken, cut into thin strips 100 grams

Prawns (kolambi/jhinga) 10-12 medium

Whole dry red chillies, soaked 6-7

Shallots 12-14

Garlic 3-4 cloves

Lemon grass 1-2 stalks

Fresh turmeric 1 inch piece

Roasted peanuts 2 tablespoons

Salt to taste

Oil 3 tablespoons

Chicken stock 1 cup

Coconut milk 1 cup

Noodles, boiled 1 cup

Bean sprouts 1/2 cup

Fresh mint leaves, chopped 5-6

Onion , thinly sliced and deep fried1 small

Lemon, thinly sliced 2

METHOD
For laksa paste, remove the seeds from the red chillies and put them in the mixer jar. Add eight to ten shallots, garlic, lemon grass, turmeric, peanuts, salt, one tablespoon olive oil and a little water and grind to a smooth paste. Chop the remaining shallots and set aside.Heat the remaining oil in a pan. Add chicken and sauté for two to three minutes. Add the laksa paste and stir. Add chicken stock, prawns and coconut milk. Mix and cook till both chicken and prawns are done. Put the noodles in a bowl. Pour the laksa over them. Top with bean sprouts, chopped shallots, mint leaves, fried onion slices and lemon slice and serve hot.

Garvita's Healthy Chicken Taco

Ingredients

1 tablespoon olive oil

1/2kg ground chicken

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 onion, diced

1/4 cup hoisin sauce

2 tablespoons soy sauce

1 tablespoon rice wine vinegar

1 tablespoon freshly grated ginger

1 (8-ounce) can whole water chestnuts, drained and diced

2 green onions, thinly sliced

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

1 head lettuce

Instructions

• Heat olive oil in a saucepan over medium high heat. Add ground chicken and cook until browned, about 3-5 minutes, making sure to crumble the chicken as it cooks; drain excess fat.
• Stir in garlic, onion, hoisin sauce, soy sauce, rice wine vinegar and ginger  until onions have become translucent, about 1-2 minutes. Stir in chestnuts and green onions until tender, about 1-2 minutes; season with salt and pepper, to taste.
• To serve, spoon several tablespoons of the chicken mixture into the center of a lettuce leaf, taco-style.

Aashka's Peppery Chicken Roomali

Method:
-Beat Eggs and Pour it over Roomali or wheat chapati (12" in diameter)
- Spread Basil Pesto over it
- In a fry pan add 2tbl spoon butter, ginger garlic paste, finely chopped onion, shredded chicken, salt .. pepper and Cilantro.  Mix well.
- spread Peppery chicken on egg Roomali and roll as a burrito.

Pesto Make: Basil, olive oil, lots of Garlic, pinuts, rock salt. Coarsely Grind it to Paste. (Can be used in Pesto pasta too)

Jovee's Chicken Cutlet

Ingredients

1) 1 kg Chicken Mince

2)3-4 onions finely chopped very fine

3)2 tomatoes very finely chopped

4) 4-5 green chillies

5) 1 egg beaten

6) salt to taste

7) bread crumbs

8) oil for shallow frying

9) half tsp haldi powder&garam masala

10) finely chopped coriander leaves

11) 2tbsp Ginger Garlic Paste

METHOD

1) Wash clean the mince and add salt ginger garlic paste and keep aside for marination for about half an hour

2) In a Pan combine together finely chopped onions, tomatoes, green chillies, garam masala andhaldi powder and the marinated mince and cook it till the mince is done.

3) Now let the cooked mince become cold then put in the mixer and grind it till fine. Dont add any water or oil..just give 1 round.

4) Now add the beaten eggs to the mince and finely chopped coriander leaves. If the mixture is watery then add some wheat flour for binding ... don’t add too much..

5)Now give an oval or round shape or ur desired shape to the cutlets and coat itwith bread crumbs and then shallow fry.

Shamika's Mother's Potato Chops

Come to any Goan household on a festive day, and potato chops will be there to greet you men!

INGREDIENTS:

 

1/2 kg mince (chicken or mutton)

1/4 kg onions

4 green chillies

2 levelled tsp ginger garlic paste

2 tbs lime juice or 1 tbs vinegar

1 levelled tsp pepper pd

1/4 tsp of mixed spices (garam masala)

2 tbs finely chopped corriander leaves

1 1/2 tbs cooking oil

salt to taste

3/4 kg potatoes

Egg

Bread crumbs

Oil for frying

 

Wash mince and let all the water drain.  After water has drained add salt, ginger garlic paste and lime juice and let marinate for abt 30 min. Chop onions and chillies finely.  Put oil in pan and fry onions and chillies till transparent on medium heat.  Add the mince with salt as reqd and pepper powder.  Keep on medium flame till cooked,  add the corriander and spice pd and let dry completely.

 

Boil potatoes and mash till no lumps are found.  Add salt and pepper powder and form into balls.  Flatten on palm of hand with hollow in centre and fill a tbs of mince in it and close and flatten slightly.  Beat the egg and dip the chop in the egg and then in the bread crumb and fry on a non stick pan with two tbs oil till brown on one side and turn to the other. Put on kitchen tissue.  Eat hot with tomato sauce or plain.

Alisha's Chicken in Black bean Sauce

Ingredients:

250 gm boneless chicken,  cut into bite sized pieces

50 gm red & yellow peppers,  cubed (I used 1 red but you can use half of each too)

10 gm sugar (I used 1tsp)

salt to taste

Water,  1 cup

10 gm black bean sauce (I added 2 tbsp)

10 gm chili paste (I added 1 tbsp)

For the above 2 ingredients,  Adjust this as per taste and look.. The chicken needs to be coated with sauce)

5 ml soya sauce

10 gm garlic (I used 4 pods coz I love garlic)

5 gm red chili - chopped (1 used 1 fresh chilli slit)

1 Tbsp oil

10 gm corn flour (dissolved in water to remove lumps)

Method:

Add oil in wok and mix garlic, chili and bell peppers.

Add the chicken and saute.

Add black bean sauce and chilli paste and toss away. Add water. Add soya sauce and cook for a while.

Add the sugar and mix well.

Add corn flour.  Let the curry thicken and take off the fire when the chicken is cooked through.

Serve Hot with garlic bread!

Alisha's Koyla Chicken

Ingredients:

One Chicken, cut into medium pieces;
1 tbsp of garam masala;
1 tbsp red chilli powder;
1 tbsp ginger garlic paste;
Salt to taste;
Butter;
1 carton of tomato puree;
1 cup of water;
2 green chillies, slit;
1 tbsp vinegar;
1 tbsp lime juice;
Quarter cup of tomato ketchup;
Handful of cashewnuts;
Milk cream(optional);
Coriander, finely chopped

Marination:

Take the pieces of the chicken in a bowl and mix garam masala, chilli powder, ginger garlic paste and salt. Keep the bowl covered in a refrigerator for 30 mins.

Method: Heat some butter in a pan. Put the marinated chicken into the pan. Once the butter starts to sizzle, pour in the tomato puree and ketchup and mix well. Add one cup of water and 2 slit green chillies. Cover and let the gravy boil.

Take the lid off after sometime and add the vinegar and lime juice. Crush the cashewnuts and sprinkle on top to give a rich taste. Add some milk cream and let the chicken cook well.

Smoking:

Take a piece of coal and heat on open flame. Place a saucer on the chicken pieces in the vessel and keep the heated coal piece on it. Add a little oil or ghee on the coal and immediately cover the vessel for 3 to 5 minutes.

Garnish with chopped coriander!!

Koyla chicken is ready to serve!!

Lorraine's MIL's Rich Chicken Curry

My mother in law just like me loves cooking and is always willing to try new recipes. Once I stumbled upon a pile of magazine and newspaper cutouts which she collected over the years. It was like a treasure trove to me.
There were many interesting recipes in the pile and this chicken recipe is one which I have now prepared several times and is my go to recipe for a quick chicken dish especially fit for a lunch box with chapatis. I also tried a slightly dry version of this recipe as a filling in puff pastry dough and voila I had an all time favorite party snack.

Rich Chicken Curry

Ingredients
300gms Chicken breast, cleaned cut into small pieces.
2 Cinnamon sticks
Cashew almond paste(a handful ground smoothly)
2 tsp ginger garlic paste
1/4th tsp turmeric powder
2 tsp chilli powder (adjust to taste)
1 tsp coriander powder
1 onion chopped
1&1/2 tsp orange color(I skipped this)
3 tsp butter
2 tsp oil
1/2 cup tomato puree
Salt to taste.
1 tsp Kasuri methi. Crushed. (optional)

Method
Boil chicken with salt, turmeric and a little ginger garlic paste. Keep aside.
Fry the onions in hot oil till transparent, add cinnamon and cook till aromatic.
Add ginger garlic paste, add a little water. Stir continuously.
Add turmeric, chilli powder, coriander powder and salt. Stir thoroughly.
Pour in the tomato puree, cashew almond paste. Mix well.
When it begins to boil, add chicken. Cook till the meat is done.
Adjust gravy according to preference, adding water to thin it out.
Add the crushed kasuri methi just before turning off the flame.
Top with a dollop of butter before serving with parathas or rice.

Tips- To get a smooth cashew almond paste in a jiffy, I add a little water and pop it in the microwave for 30 sec intervals for a max of 1 min. It helps to get rid of the skin of the almonds in case you using them too.

Shamika's Ghee Roast Chicken

Chicken Ghee Roast

• Prep time: 15 min
• Cook time: 45 min
• Serves: 5

Main Ingredients:

1. chicken
2. ghee

Ingredients

• Chicken - 1 kg, bite sized pieces, washed
• Curd - 1/2 cup, thick yogurt
• Turmeric powder - 1/2 tsp
• Lemon juice - 1 tbsp
• Salt to taste
• Jaggery - 2 tsps (or sugar)
• Curry leaves - 1 sprig
• Ghee - 6 tbsps
• Dry red chilies - 7 to 8, large (spicy variety)
• Dry red chilies - 3 (small variety)
• Black peppercorns - 7-8
• Cloves - 3
• Fenugreek seeds - pinch
• Coriander seeds - 1 1/2 tbsps
• Cumin seeds - 1/2 tsp
• Garlic flakes - 7-8
• Tamarind paste - 1 1/2 tbsps

Method

1. Marinate chicken in curd, turmeric powder, lemon juice and half a tsp of salt for a minimum of 2 to 3 hours or overnight in the refrigerator.
2. Dry roast the red chilies on low flame for 2 mts. Do not burn them. Remove from fire and keep aside. In the same pan, add a tsp of ghee and roast, fenugreek seeds, cumin seeds, coriander seeds, cloves and peppercorns on low flame for 3 minutes. Remove from fire and cool.
3. Grind the roasted red chilies and spices along with garlic and tamarind to a fine paste. Keep aside.
4. Heat 2 1/2 tbsps ghee in a heavy bottomed vessel, place the marinated pieces along with the marinade and cook for 20-22 mts or till its three foiurth cooked.
5. Remove the sauteed chicken pieces and keep aside. Remove the remaining liquid into another bowl.
6. In the same vessel, add the remaining ghee, and add the ground paste. Saute on low to medium flame for 8-9 mts to till the ghee separates.
7. Add the chicken pieces and mix well. Add the left over liquid (while cooking chicken) and jaggery and cook on medium flame for 4 mts. Add salt to taste and mix.
8. Reduce flame, place lid and cook till the chicken is cooked and you have a thick coating of the masala to the chicken pieces. This is not a curry, its a roast dish.
9. Remove lid, roast the chicken for 2-3 mts. Turn off flame, remove onto a serving bowl.
10. Garnish with curry leaves and serve with ghee rice, any flavored rice of your choice or white rice.

Tips

• If you do not have the small variety of dry red chilies, use 10 large dry red chilies. Those who can take the heat of the red chilies, can increase it to 14-15.