Super Easy Indian Chicken

[ellie]

I have the same tins - bought by MIL when DH and I moved in together. I think she figured even if her son had to live with the white gold digger, he would eat well. I referred to it as the "wheel of death" for several years

Jenn, you crack me up!

Just wanted to add that this dish tasted even better the next day!

Ohhhhhhh....my kitchen smells so good.

A few hours later -- that was SO yummy. I ended up using just a shake or two of cayenne and cored and seeded the two jalepenos. It was in the crockpot for about 8 hours and the spice was mellow. DD started out saying "that is a funny name for dinner" to sneaking her naan bread into the serving dish for extra sauce.

If we can't come up with enough to buy DCJenn the busty Hilary bust, then we need to get her a crockpot so she can make this.

[ellie]

Jenn, this recipe needs to get published somewhere. I shared some of this dish with my neighbor, and she liked it so much and wanted the recipe, too. She made it for a family get together and everyone LOVED it (even the picky kids)!

As soon as I can find all the ingredients for the yogurt curry, I'm making that one next.

[alison]

I'm going to make this!
I need to go to the grocery store to get some of the ingredients. I have a question - can I do it all white meat? Like throw in just wings and breasts? Or should it be the whole chicken? I'm worried that if I put in single parts that they'll lose form after being in the crock pot too long. Any advice, Jenn?

I'm so glad so many people have liked this!

Alison - to answer your question, you can use individual parts (I think Amber did when she made it). It will lose form, but it would lose form either way. It is NOT a pretty dish - just yummy. The chicken just ends up falling off the bone, or will just shred if you're using breasts.

I used a whole chicken that was cut up into parts 8 or so? That worked fine but I'm sure that using just chx breasts would work fine.

[KCwife]

(I think Amber did when she made it).

My post got deleted when the server had a brainfart.

Yes, I used boneless skinless chicken breasts. I also, due to not planning ahead, used a very large skillet. I added lots of carrots...and served over brown rice. It was one of my favorite quick dishes ever, DH and my kids LOVED it.

The house smelled incredible....if I wasn't making sushi for dinner tonight...I would do this again, just thinking about it makes me want more!

[alison]

Ok! I'll do it with some chicken breasts. Thanks for the replies! I love Indian food - growing up on Japanese food has made me a bit anal about how food looks, but I think I can get over the chicken falling off the bones if it tastes good in the end! I'll let you all know how it turns out!

I don't know that I would love it w/carrots - just b/c i've never had carrot anything w/Indian food. So cool that even the kids liked it. Mine won't touch stuff like that.

If you wanted to bulk it up (while still in the crockpot) you could add potatoes, garbanzos, or peas (or a combination of any/all). Indian food is usually downright mushy - like I said - not pretty, just yummy.

[alison]

Potatoes sound good. Those would go in...when? Towards the end so that they don't get too mushy?

ARGH! Am I too fixated on the ingredients not falling apart?!

ARGH! Am I too fixated on the ingredients not falling apart?!

yes.

this will be a soupy mess. remember - Indians eat w/their hands, using chapati or naan to pick up the food. if you have texture issues and can't deal w/the mushiness, then add the potatoes towards the end (1 to 2 hours out).

[KCwife]

I vote that Jenn needs her own Indian food thread!

[alison]

Ok, I'm heading to the store now to pick up the stuff we'll need.

With hands... But... with peppers and things... even with things that are peppery?... don't they get embedded under the nails...? What if you rub your eyes?

Thanks for the potatoes tip!

don't rub your eyes. it's hell. i've done it. it's also a serious bitch if you've got a cut on your hand.

they eat EVERYTHING w/their hands - right hand actually (and pretty much nothing that doesn't have peppers in it). My dh swears that he only 'learned' how to properly use silverware from me (we met when we were 15). no matter how soupy it is, you mix it into rice, and use naan or chapati to pick it up. i've actually be scolded for NOT slurping sufficiently while eating b/c that's how you keep it from spilling all over. my IL's have a bin of spoons on the table (pretty much for serving), but you've got to dig to find a fork in that house.

oh - just to clarify - I'm not insisting that anyone MUST eat with their hands. Just explaining why the mushy consistency is not a problem for the traditionalists. I've been scolded way too many times for using utensils ... WTF!