Methi Murgh / Methi Chicken

Its not spring yet here. It was but not now. The temperature has been varying constantly for the past month. One day we cannot survive without the cooler on and the next day you need to pull out your socks and sweater. With inconsistent temperatures comes cold and flu and the cycle has started in our house with pappu being infected the most.
Methi is one green that we buy frequently these days. Its mostly methi theplas with spicy thakkali thokku for dinner but sometimes I try something different and this methi murgh has become a favorite. Packed with tons of flavor, its the perfect side dish for rotis or parathas or pulaos.

~*What U Need*~ Chicken - 1 lb, washed & cut into medium sized pieces Methi leaves - 1 cup cleaned and packed Onions - 1, chopped finely Green chilli - 1 Ginger garlic paste - 1 tsp Tomato - 1, pureed Yogurt - 2 tbsp Turmeric powder - a pinch Red chilli pdr - 1/2 tsp Coriander pdr - 1 tsp Cumin pdr - 1/2 tsp Garam masala pdr - 1/4 tsp Salt - to taste Oil - 2 tbsp Cream - 1 tbsp How I Made it: In a bowl whisk the cream and yogurt and set aside. Heat 2 tsp oil in a kadai, add the methi leaves and saute for some time, remove and set aside. In a kadai, heat the oil, add the chilli and saute for a min. Add the onions and cook till brown. Add the ginger garlic paste and saute till the raw smell leaves. Add the pureed tomato add saute till it forms a masala. Add the masala powders and saute for some time. Add the chicken pieces and combine well. Cook on medium high flame for 3-4 mts. Reduce flame, place lid and let the chicken cook till three fourth done. Add the garam masala, methi leaves and cook till the chicken is done and you get the consistency of your choice. Reduce the flame to low, add the cream mixture and mix well. Cook in low flame for 2-3 mins. Add chopped coriander leaves, remove from flame.

Serve hot with white rice, biryani, flavored rice or rotis.

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Cajun Chicken Pasta

Life takes a turn at times. That which interested you becomes distant and that hobby which you thought would never peak into your mind becomes a favorite passtime. I am in that phase right now. I have been blogging for 4 years now and I would never want to give that up just like that. And so I am taking my time to settle my mind and start blogging again. I was pretty busy for the past few weeks with pappu's birthday celebrations. I will write a separate post on that soon. But as for now lets talk about this easy to make cajun chicken pasta.

Pasta is one thing that I make when I am pressed for time or when we need a quick fix meal. Pappu is a sucker for mac and cheese and so I make it atleast once a month. As for pasta, I try a different recipe and that is how this cajun pasta happened. It happened and it is now a favorite.

~*What U Need*~ Boneless skinless chicken thighs - 1/2 cup, cut into bite size pieces Linguine - 6 oz Onion - 1/2, sliced Mushrooms - 1 cup, sliced Red bell pepper - 1/2, sliced, I didnt have this so skipped Garlic - 2, chopped Cajun seasoning - 1 tbsp Chicken stock - 1/2 cup Heavy cream - 2 tbsp Coriander - 1 tbsp, chopped Butter - 1 tbsp Olive oil - 1 tbsp Salt, pepper - to season How I Made it: Cook the pasta as per package instructions. Season the chicken thighs with the cajun seasoning and set aside. In a large skillet add the butter and cook the chick thighs for 4-5 mins. Remove to a plate. Add the olive oil, add the onions, mushrooms, garlic and peppers and cook for 5-6 mins. Add the chicken stock, reduce the heat to medium low and cook for about 10 minutes or until the sauce has reduced by half. Add the cream and season lightly with salt and pepper, toss in the cooked pasta and cook everything together for about a minute or until the sauce thickens. Add the coriander and remove.

Serve warm!!!

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Baked Lahori Chargha | Easy Chicken Recipes

There are days when all I need is a flavor packed piece of chicken with a side salad or some baked sweet potato fries. While I am okay with that kind of food, the huss is totally opposite. He needs dosas or idlis or biryanis to keep him and his tummy happy. But one thing that we both agree on is tandoori chicken. We love it to the core and with a side dip of mint yogurt it is just the best dinner in the whole world. I follow this food group in FB and I saw this recipe there. Was totally hooked up with the flavor profile and added my own twist by baking it. This my friend is a bomb and you should definitely give this a try.

~*What U Need*~ Chicken legs - 4-5, 1 lb, with skin Coriander seeds - 1 tbsp Garam masala powder - 1 tsp Ginger garlic paste - 1 tsp Cumin powder - 1/4 tsp Mint leaves - 1/4 cup, packed Chilli flakes - 1 tsp Lemon juice - 1/2 of a lemon Salt Eggs - 1 How I Made it Grind everything in a mixie from coriander seeds to chilli flakes. Marinate this with the chicken, lemon juice, salt and egg with 2 tbsp oil. Marinate for atleast 2 hrs - overnight. Preheat oven to 400F. Bake in a foil lined pan for 30 mins. Turn over and bake for another 20 mins. Broil for few mints till you get the crust on the chicken.

Serve with mint chutney.

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Chettinad Chicken Curry

Something about frozen chicken doesn't spell and taste chicken to me. It lacks taste and texture. I have even switched to organic farm fresh chicken but still its not the same. Bottom line is that whatever you do you just cant pull the flavors that you need to come out of it. Unless you make a spice laden flavor packed chicken curry like this chettinadu version. All that spices that you throw into the curry is what flavors the chicken and makes it succulent. As for this chettinad chicken curry, I wouldn't say that it is authentic and perfect but it tastes good with a whiff of that authentic taste. To achieve that perfection use small onions instead of regular onions.

~*What U Need*~ Onion - 1, finely chopped Tomato - 1, chopped Ginger garlic paste - 2 tsp Chicken - 1 lb, cleaned, bone-in Coriander leaves - 2 tbsp, chopped Mint leaves - 1 tbsp, chopped To roast and grind: Coconut - 4 tbsp Cashew nuts - 2 tbsp Fennel seeds - 1/2 tsp Red chilli - 1 To grind to a smooth paste: Onion - 1/4 cup Green chilli - 1 Yogurt - 1 tbsp Red chilli powder - 1/2 tbsp Turmeric Powder - 1/4 tsp Coriander powder - 1 tbsp To Temper Oil - 1-2 tbsp Fennel seeds - 1/4 tsp 2 cloves, 1" cinnamon, 2 cardamon, 1 bayleaf Curry leaves - 1 sprig How I Made it: Clean the chicken thoroughly and set aside. You can marinate this in yogurt, chilli powder, turmeric, coriander and ginger garlic paste for 30 mins. Grind the ingredients under smooth paste. Roast and grind the coconut, cashew nuts, fennel seeds and chilli. Heat oil in a kadai, temper with fennel seeds, spices and curry leaves. Add the onions and saute well till brown. Add ginger garlic paste and saute till the raw smell goes off. Add the tomatoes and cook till becomes soft. Add the curry leaves, ground onion paste and saute for 2 mins. Add the roast coconut paste and cook for another 4-5 mins till the mixture becomes thick. Add the chicken, mix well and cook till the chicken leaves water. Add 1/2 cup water and cook til the chicken is completely cooked. Simmer till you get the desired consistency and the mixture leaves oil. Add coriander leaves, mint leaves and season with salt. Remove from flame.

Serve hot with rice /idli/dosa!!!

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Chicken Puffs

I mostly sip on some loaded green smoothie for my lunch and so by the time the huss returns from work, I become extremely hungry and start rampaging the kitchen snack cabinet. I try my level best to stick to fruits but sometimes I give in and make some hot hot bhajis or chicken puffs for our tea time. Thanks to the readymade puff pastries available here, making puffs at home is a breeze and more economical than the Indian store bought-ones. The filling is a breeze to make and highly customizable, you can skip the chicken if you are a vegetarian or you could replace the chicken with gobi. The sky is your limit here, my friend.

~*What U Need*~ Chicken - 1 cup, cooked and shredded Oil - 1 tbsp Onion - 1 cup, finely sliced Tomato - 1, chopped Coriander - a handful, chopped Curry leaves - 1 sprig Green chilli - 1, sliced Beans - 4-5, chopped Carrot - 1, chopped Ginger garlic paste -1 tsp Chilli powder - 1/2 tsp Garam masala powder - 1/2 tsp Coriander powder - 1 tsp Cumin powder - 1/8 tsp Salt Puff pastry sheets - 1 full sheet, thawed and cut into squares. How I Made it: Heat oil in a nonstick pan, add chilli and saute for a min. Add onions and stir-fry till cooked down and brown. Add ginger–garlic paste, and curry leaves and cook for 1 minute. Add and cook the tomatoes until soft and mushy. Add carrot and bean and stir-fry for 2 minutes. Add the spice powders and a splash of water and cook for 2-3 mins. Add the cooked meat and stir everything and cook for 3-4 mins. Remove from heat, add the coriander leaves. Preheat oven to 350F. Roll the puff pastry to flatten it a bit. Spoon 1 tbsp of filling in the middle. Close the puff pastry using water to stick it. Egg wash it once and bake for 15 to 20 mins till golden brown and puffy. Serve warm with some ketchup!!!

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Chettinad Chicken Masala

Belated Diwali wishes to all my readers. I am really sorry for not sharing any sweets or savories for this Diwali. I was a bit held up last week but in a good way. I was asked to bake the birthday cake for a lil one. The theme was Cars and the cake that the birthday boy chose was Lightning mcqueen. He wanted a 3D version of the cake and since it was my first time I was skeptical to take up the task. But then the huss encouraged me all the way and yeah I made it. A two tiered Lightning mcqueen cake covered with fondant and decorated with fondant accents. The cake was a big hit and everyone ~ of all the kids totally loved the cake.

Coming to this recipe, Diwali is never complete without a biryani and chicken side dish for us. And so I thought of sharing this delicious and spicy chettinad chicken masala for the day. Chettinad cuisine mostly use pearl onions in the cooking and thats what gives this dish its signature taste. I have used both pearl onions or regular onions to make this dish and both taste awesome but the former always triumphs. And here's the recipe.

~*What U Need*~ Onion - 1, large, finely chopped/small onions - 10-12 Tomato - 1, chopped Garlic - 3, chopped To marinate the chicken: Chicken - 1 lb Red chilli powder - 1 tso Chicken curry powder - 1 tsp Turmeric powder - 1/4 tsp Yogurt - 2 tbsp Ginger garlic paste - 1 tsp To Grind: Onion - 1, medium, chopped/small onions - 10 Ginger garlic paste - 1 tsp Green chilli - 1 Chilli powder - 1/2 tsp Coriander powder - 1 tbsp To grind: Coconut - 3 tbsp Cashews - 2 tbsp Fennel seeds - 1/2 tsp For tempering: Oil - 3 tbsp Fennel seeds - 1/4 tsp Cloves - 2 Cinnamon - 1 inch Cardamom - 2 Bay leaf - 1 small Curry leaves - 1 sprig Coriander leaves - 1 tbsp, chopped - to garnish How I Made it: Wash the chicken and mix it with all the ingredients under to marinate. Set aside for 30 mins. Grind the ingredients under to grind separately. Heat oil in a pan, when it gets heated add the ingredients under tempering and fry it. Ad chopped onions, garlic and saute until onion turn light golden brown. Add the finely chopped tomatoes and saute till soft and mushy. Add the ground onion paste and saute for 2-3 mins. Add marinated chicken and saute for another 2-3 minutes. Cook till 3/4 th done. Season with salt. Add the ground coconut paste and saute till the raw smell goes off and the chicken is cooked. Add the coriander leaves and remove from flame.

Serve with rice/dosa!!!

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Butter Chicken | Side dishes for Parottas/Rotis

As everyone out there is blogging about sweets and savories for Diwali, I donot have even one in my kitty and I am in no mood to make one. That doesn't mean that I will not be preparing anything for the festival, I have some ideas but I am gonna get into it next week only. Diwali is never complete for us without a non-veg three course meal but this Diwali I am planning something new and this Butter Chicken is definitely in the menu. Its rich, creamy and totally addictive and pairs perfectly with parottas and naans.

~*What U Need*~ For the chicken: Chicken - 1/4 lb, with bone Yogurt - 1/4 cup Ginger garlic paste - 1 tsp Chilli powder - 1/2 tsp Salt, pepper For the sauce: Onion - 1, finely chopped Ginger garlic paste - 1 tsp Garam masala - 1/2 tsp Chilli powder - 1/2 tsp Coriander powder - 1 tsp Cumin seeds - 1/2 tsp Tomato puree - 3/4 cup Water - 1/4 cup Cream - 1/8 cup Ghee - 1 tbsp Butter- 2 tbsp Salt and Pepper to taste Kasurimethi leaves - 1/4 tsp Cilantro - 1 tbsp How I Made it: In a bowl, mix together the chicken with the marination ingredients and set aside for 30 mins or overnight. Preheat oven to 475 degrees, place the chicken on a baking sheet lined with foil paper and bake it in the oven for 10 minutes, turn the broiler on high and broil till the chicken is charred and then remove from the oven. In a large pan, heat the oil and butter and allow the butter to melt. Add the cumin seeds and allow them to cook for about 30 seconds. Add the onion and cook till soft, add the ginger garlic paste and cook till raw smell goes off. Add tomato puree and cook for 3-5 mins. Add the garam masala, coriander powder and chili powder and cook for about 30 seconds. Add the chicken, add some water and cover with a lid and simmer for about 20 minutes. Stir in the cream and fenugreek leaves, season with salt and pepper to taste, add in the cilantro and reduce the heat to low and allow to cook gently for a few minutes.

Serve over some jeera rice or parottas or rotis!!!

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Barbecue Pulled Chicken & Sandwiches

Well, its fall here. As in officially. The climate has started getting cooler, the leaves have started changing colors and we have brought out our sweaters and fall shoes. I like this weather but I hate what it has in store and the aftermath. Winter is never our thing. It would be if it was a matter of months. But not when you have to face that thick blanket of whiteness for more than four months. And thats why I hate and love fall.

I have always been a fan of trying new recipes. And the leftover rotisserie chicken called out my name to try something new. Barbecue pulled chicken has been in my head for quite some time and I decided to give it a try keeping in my mind my palate preferences. If you are using leftover rotisserie chicken use the two breast pieces and if you are using frozen chicken then use two chicken breasts.

Prep time: 15 mins; Cook time: 25 mins; Serves - 3-4 ~*What U Need*~ Chicken breasts - 2, 1 lb Onion - 1/2, sliced Chilli powder - 1 tsp Garlic powder - 1/2 tsp Chicken stock - 1/4 cup BBQ sauce - 3/4 cup Salt, pepper - to season Toasted buns of choice - to serve Cheese slices - to serve How I Made it: In the pressure cooker, heat oil, add the sliced onion and allow to brown. Add the dry spices and mix well. Fry for 2-3 mins. Place the chicken breast and mix well. Add the chicken stock, barbeque sauce and give it a toss. Pressure cook for 2 whistles and reduce the heat to low, cook for 10 mins. Release the pressure, season with salt and pepper and if you need more sauce, add as per liking. Cook in medium flame till you get the desired consistency. Using two forks, shred the chicken and toss in the gravy.

Serve on toasted buns with cheese!!!

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Ambur Chicken Biryani | Ambur Style Chicken Biryani

To the huss weekends are never complete without a plate of chicken biryani. So if I don't make biryanis in the weekend I make it a point to make some by middle of the week. This biryani happened like that. We are not spice lovers, well we like it but we generally prefer mild spices in our food. The ambur version of biryani never fits our bill. Its super spicy and the color of the biryani screams spiciness when you even look at it. This is my version of the ambur biryani cos I have used my own strategies to reduce the spice level. But if you are in for the game then skip the cashew paste in the recipe, reduce the yogurt to 1/4 cup and add more chillies as per your spice level.

Prep time: 10 mins; Cooking time: 40 mins; Serves - 3-4 ~*What U Need*~ Chicken - 1 lb, with bone Oil - 2 tbsp Ghee - 2 tbsp Onions - 1, large, sliced Ginger garlic paste - 2 tsp Coriander Leaves - a handful, chopped Mint Leaves - a handful, chopped Tomatoes - 1 large, chopped Thick yogurt - 1/2 cup Biryani rice - 1 1/2 cups Water - 2 cups To grind: Cashews - 5-6, whole To grind separately: Red chillies - 2, seeds removed For biryani masala: Fennel Seeds - 1 tbsp Cinnamon - 1" Cardamom - 2 Star anise - 1/2 Cloves - 2 How I Made it: Wash and soak the rice. Soak the red chillies in hot water for 5 mins. Drain and make it into a smooth puree. Set aside. Grind the cashews and set aside. Heat oil in a kadai. Add 1 bay leaf and fry for a min. Add the onions and saute well. Once golden brown, add the ginger garlic paste and fry till the raw smell goes off. Add the tomatoes and fry well. Add the chopped mint and coriander leaves and saute for a min. Add the fresh biryani powder and saute well. Add the cleaned chicken pieces and mix well. Now add the chilli paste and fry till the chicken is half cooked. Add the cashew paste and fry for 2-3 mins. Add the yogurt and mix well. Add water and the drained rice. Add 2tbsp ghee, give it a stir and pressure cook for 2 whistles. Open the lid and fluff the rice.

Serve with some raitha!!!

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Better than take-out Chicken Fried Rice | Leftover recipes

We buy the fully cooked rotisserie chicken from walmart(read once a month) whenever we visit the place. I love it on my salads seasoned with some salt, pepper and garlic powder and then I love to make chicken salad with greek yogurt, pecans and cranberries which I have as it is or use it in sandwiches. This fried rice is my new favorite to use up the leftover chicken. Stir fried veggies, eggs, chicken and rice mildy flavored with soy sauce and loads of pepper ~ what more for a wholesome meal. I would recommend you to use sesame oil for the best results cos the nuttiness of the oil enhances the overall flavor of this dish.

Prep time: 20 mins; Cook time: 20 mins; Serves - 2-3 ~*What U Need*~ Rotisserie chicken - 1 cup, chopped Cooked basmati rice - 2 cups Sesame oil - 2 tbsp Yellow onion - 1, small, chopped Carrots, beans - 1 cup, chopped Frozen peas - 1/4 cup Soy sauce - 2-3 tbsp Eggs - 2, lightly beaten Green onions - 1/8 cup, chopped Salt, pepper How I Made it: Heat sesame oil in a large pan or wok. Add onion and fry till translucent. Add the peas, beans and carrots and fry until tender. Move this to the side, and pour the beaten eggs onto the other side. Scramble the eggs. Once cooked, mix the eggs with the vegetables. Add the rice and chicken. Pour and gently combine. Add chopped green onions if desired.

Serve warm!!!

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Mughalai Chicken Biryani

By now, you should have known about our love for biryanis. When I say its biryani for lunch or dinner, the boys keep chanting the term till they get some on their plates... I love trying new biryani varieties when the mood sets in and it happened again last week.
It was a weekday and pappu was sound asleep taking his afternoon nap... I felt like doing something and reading a book didn't help... The kitchen seemed to be the destination and biryani the solution... I was going through my biryani booklet when I came upon this mughalai biryani.. The richness called my name and I didn't waste another minute resting on my couch...

~*What U Need*~ Chicken - 500 gm, cleaned Onion - 1, large, sliced Tomato - 1, large, sliced Ginger garlic paste - 1 tsp Green chilli - 1 Red chilli powder - 1/2 tsp Cumin powder - 1/4 tsp Coriander powder - 1 tsp Coriander leaves - 1/4 cup Mint leaves - 1/4 cup Oil/ Ghee - 2 tbsp Basmati rice - 1 1/2 cup Water - 2 cups To grind to a paste: Cashew - 1/4 cup Almonds - 1/4 cup Poppy seeds - 2 tbsp Yogurt - 1 tbsp For Briyani Masala Powder: Fennel Seeds - 1 tbsp Cinnamon - 1" Cardamom - 2 Star anise - 1/2 Cloves - 2 How I Made it: Dry roast the ingredients under biryani masala and grind in a coffee grinder. Soak the rice in enough water. Grind cashews, almonds, poppy seeds and yogurt to a smooth paste. In a pressure cooker, heat oil and fry the green chilli. Add the onions and saute till brown. Add the ginger-garlic paste and saute till the raw smell goes off. Add the tomatoes and fry till oil separates. Add the spice powders and biryani masala powder. Add the chopped coriander and mint leaves followed by the chicken. Once the chicken is half cooked and leaves water add the ground cashew paste and mix well. Add the soaked rice and water and pressure cook for 2 whistles.

Serve hot!!!

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