Chicken and Chick Pea Jalfrezi

So I don't claim to be particularly well versed in Ethnic cuisine but I thank my brother-in-law Nate for adding Chicken Jalfrezi to my repertoire! I absolutely love Indian food but many would agree that it seems a little daunting to try to cook on your own. Well I can only speak for this dish, but it is actually quite simple, surprisingly healthy and super tasty.

I took the basics from Nate's recipe and have tweaked it a little bit. For example I made the dish once with chick peas instead of chicken (during lent) and now I've decided the combination of the two is the way to go. My favorite way to eat Indian food is actually right off the buffet at a great restaurant. I know buffets are a big taboo but it is so much more fun to try 5 or 6 Indian dishes all on one plate. They all go together perfectly, kind of like a traditional Thanksgiving spread. I love the chicken curries, the cauliflower, the spinach, the chick peas, the naan bread, the rice, the vegetable fritters, the daal... mmmm. I haven't tried to tackle any other dishes jsut yet but putting some chick peas and fresh spinach right into the jalfrezi is a step in the right direction.

I start with two tablespoons of olive oil in a dutch oven. Speaking of dutch ovens, I'll take a tiny time out to rave about my Le Crueset dutch ovens because they are quite possibly my favorite things in my kitchen. They distribute heat evenly, they are easy to clean, and you can actually serve out of them which I particularly like. I have two and I put a LOT of thought into the size selection... and I couldn't be happier. I have the 7 1/4 quart round dutch oven http://www.williams-sonoma.com/products/c141/index.cfm?pkey=cdutch%2Dovens%2Dbraisers&ckey=dutch%2Dovens%2Dbraisers and the 3 1/2 quart WIDE dutch oven http://www.williams-sonoma.com/products/c239/index.cfm?pkey=cdutch%2Dovens%2Dbraisers&ckey=dutch%2Dovens%2Dbraisers. Most people go with the 5 1/2 quart but in my opinion, for a big pot of soup, spaghetti sauce, paella, braising meats, etc. it is just too small. The 3 1-2 quart- again the wide one, not the little squatty one- is perfect for vegetables, sides dishes, risotto or in this case one pot meals like Chicken Jalfrezi.

Speaking of, back to the Jalfrezi... I dice a medium onion and saute in the oil over med-high heat for 5 or 6 minutes until it is soft but not yet brown. I then add three minced garlic cloves, 8 teaspoons of curry powder, and a teaspoon of salt and cook 2 minutes more. This is the part when your kitchen smells like you brought the Indian buffet home with you but I promise it is completely gone after a few hours. After the garlic and spices have a minute to toast, I add two chicken breasts cut into bite size chunks and stir to coat everything with the onions and spices. Next I add one small can of diced tomatoes with the juice and one small can of chick peas- drained and rinsed-and stir to combine. I turn the heat down to med-low and simmer, uncovered, for about 10-15 minutes, stirring every so often to be sure nothing is sticking. If it looks too thick, I add a splash of water or chicken stock to be sure it has enough liquid to make a nice sauce.

As soon as the chicken is cooked through- I add some fresh grated ginger (about a two inch piece of ginger root, peeled), 2 cups of raw baby spinach leaves and about 1/3 cup fresh chopped cilantro and that's it! The spinach wilts quickly adds some nice color. I serve it over basmati rice with some steamed broccoli on the side. I'm telling you, even for Indian food novices, this dish is YUMMY, rib-stickingly hearty and healthy too! The little bit of olive oil is virtually the only fat in the whole thing and thanks to the chick peas, its loaded with protein. This recipe made just enough for dinner for two Monday night and Tuesday night AND even a lunch in there too. All from just the two chicken breasts!

If you're skeptical about this one- please try it anyway! You'll thank me (and my brother-in-law Nate) later...