Zesty Punjabi Chicken Recipe
I have always found making Indian food at home to be a daunting challenge. The cuisine represents a very different culinary tradition than my own, and I think I tend to miss a lot of the nuance concerning its spices and seasonings. Not only that, but I find that the dishes I make in my own kitchen tend to be pale imitations of what you can get from authentic Indian cooking.
However, I thought this particular homemade dish turned out very well. It is a remarkably simple yet delicious recipe, with sauteed onions combined with a heady medley of spices to produce a very complex sauce, bursting with the flavor of cinnamon, cardamom, ginger, and garlic. Zest and energy come from the vinegar, and a hint of sweetness from the sugar. It all comes together to produce a tender and succulent chicken dish. It is quite simple to make, and it is wonderful over rice or bread. A very filling and beautiful meal, especially with some cilantro or spinach for garnish at the end.
I adapted this from the cookbook Great Classic Recipes of Europe, by Sandy Lesberg.
Ingredients
- 3 pounds chicken breasts
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 1 large onion, peeled and diced
- Salt and pepper, to taste
- 2 teaspoons ginger
- 6 cloves garlic, peeled and chopped
- 2 teaspoons cinnamon
- 3 bay leaves
- 1 tablespoon cardamon
- 1/2 cup heavy cream
- 1 cup white wine
- 1/2 teaspoon chili powder
- 1/3 cup tomato puree
- 1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
- 1 lemon, juiced
- Spinach leaves, for garnish (optional)
- Cilantro, for garnish (optional)
Instructions
- Heat the butter in a large skillet over medium heat until it is hot. Add in the peeled and diced onions. Sautee until the onions start to turn golden; then add in the garlic, some salt, and ginger. Stir. Add in the cardamom, cinnamon, and bay leaves.
- Reduce heat and cook for several minutes at a simmer, then add the chicken and turmeric. Sautee the chicken until it is browned. Deglaze with the white wine.
- Cover and simmer for 20 minutes. Add in the chili powder and tomato puree. Simmer 5 minutes more.
- Mix the sugar, balsamic vinegar, and lemon juice. Add it with the chicken, and bring to a boil. Stir briefly, then add in the heavy cream and stir again. Cook a few minutes.
- Serve with rice and Indian flatbread. Garnish with spinach and cilantro, if desired.