Chicken Curry In A Hurry

Dear Bon Appetit,

Please advise who tests your recipes before they go to print?  After making the Chicken Curry In A Hurry from the October 2009 magazine, I’m wondering if you actually read your own recipes.  Here’s why:

#1 – You don’t specify whether the chicken should be skin on or skinless.  Not seeing a directive to remove the skin, I kept in on.  And I had a thick layer of grease staring up at me from the pot when I went to serve.  Ick, nast.

#2 – You specify 3 to 3 1/2 pounds of chicken to be browned in one batch in a large skillet.  Assuming that 12″ counts as a large skillet, please advise how this is possible.  I used all thighs and three pounds worth equaled 8.  If I were to try and brown all eight pieces at once, I’d steam the chicken before I browned it.  Dividing the chicken into two batches makes much more sense.  Especially since the curry paste likes to scorch and the pan needed to be wiped clean.

#3 – Did you really fit 3 pounds of chicken, 14.5 ounces of diced tomatoes (and juice) and 3 cups of onion into a skillet?  Seriously?  I found that I needed to switch over to a 5 quart pot after the chicken was browned off.  You must have magic skillets.

#4 – Did you verify that 25 minutes on a low simmer was all that the chicken needed to cook completely?  Sorry but I really didn’t trust that and tacked on some additional time.  Chicken Curry In A Hurry is a nice idea but Chicken Curry In A Hurry And A Visit To The Emergency Room is not.

#5 – If you’re going to tell me to use a spice that I have to specifically go out and buy, does it have to be $15 per half ounce or whatever the grocery store was charging for cardamom.  Would it have been so hard to suggest alternate spices to use in place of cardamom?  And now that I have an entire container, minus 1 1/2 teaspoons, what the heck do I do with the rest of it?

#6 – I notice a complete absence of any reference to adding yogurt to the final sauce.  For those of us who want to cut the heat of a curry, a tablespoon of plain yogurt mixed into our serving plate is a simple solution that I didn’t see mentioned in the recipe.

#7 – How, in spite of all the above noted items, does it end up that this recipe worked so well?  Must be the magic skillets.

Best Regards,

Wendi @ BAH

Chicken Curry In A Hurry

Bon Appetit September 2009

• 1/2 cup milk Indian curry paste (such as Patek’s)
• 1/3 cup white wine vinegar
• 3 tablespoons minced peeled fresh ginger
• 2 teaspoons ground cumin
• 1 1/2 teaspoons ground cardamom
• 3 to 3 1/2 pounds cut up chicken
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 3 cups chopped onion (about 2 medium onions)
• 1 14.5 ounce can diced tomatoes in juice
• 1/3 cup chopped fresh cilantro

Combine curry paste, vinegar, ginger, cumin, and cardamom in a food processor.  Blend into a paste.  Transfer spice paste to a large bowl, add chicken pieces, and rub to coat well.  Season with salt and pepper.

Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a large nonstick skillet or dutch oven over medium  high heat.  Add chicken pieces and any  remaining spice paste to the skillet.  Cook about 3 minutes per side or until well browned.  Transfer chicken to a platter.

Add onions to skillet and cook until golden, approximately 5 minutes.  If the pan dries out, add water one tablespoon at a time.  Add tomatoes and juice, bring to a simmer.  Add chicken to the skillet and bring back to a simmer.  Reduce heat to medium low, cover and cook until about 25 minutes until the chicken is cooked through.  Turn chicken once during cooking and add water by 1/4 cupfuls to thin the juices, if desired.

Sprinkle with fresh cilantro and serve.

{Printable Recipe}