Lal Murgh (Red Chicken)
I haven’t cooked Indian food in a while because it needs some good time and attention to come out perfect and those are two things I don’t have in abundance these days. So I decided that needed to change and I needed to create something easy but vibrant and delicious, with lots of flavor. The spices in this red chicken pack a great punch with an array of flavors and the meat is nice and tender from being marinated even for just a short time. The best part, the spice mix I used is the Butter Chicken spice mix you get at any Indian grocery store – so easy and time saving!
One of my favorite ways to prep meat is to marinate them. Did you know that marinating meats helps slow down the growth of bacteria? Also, based on the ingredient you’re marinating you’re meat with, it affects in a different way. For example, I’ve used citrus which is known to tenderize the meat and lock in the moisture when you’re cooking it. Hope your chicken turns out juicy like mine did!
Chop up a boneless, skinless, chicken breast into cubes. Set them in a container and add in a little spice mix, a splash of lemon juice, and some water. Mix the chicken well, cover it, and let it marinate for at least 1 hour. Doesn’t that just look gorgeous?!
When you’re ready to cook the chicken, heat a little oil in a non-stick skillet over medium heat. Add some red onions and sauté for a couple of minutes.
Add in some grated ginger and minced garlic. Oh, the smell of that garlic!
Sauté all of the above for a couple of minutes, then add in the tomatoes.
Mix well, and cook everything for 5-10 minutes. You’ll notice the tomatoes softening and the oil separating. They should look something like this:
Finally, add in the marinated chicken and mix well. Cook it for about 7 minutes or until done.
For the chicken marinade:
1 skinless, boneless chicken breast, chopped into 1 inch cubes
2Tbsp lemon juice
1Tbsp spice mix
1/3c water
To cook the chicken:
1Tbsp EVOO
1/3c finely chopped onions
1 garlic clove, minced
2tsp grated ginger
2 tomatoes, chopped finely
In a bowl, mix together the chicken, lemon juice, butter chicken spice mix, and water. Toss well to coat all the chicken pieces evenly. Cover and refrigerate for at least 1 hour.
To cook the chicken, heat the oil in a non-stick skillet over medium heat. Add the onions and sauté for 2-3 minutes. Add in the garlic and ginger and cook for another couple of minutes. Finally, add in the tomatoes and mix well. Cook for 5-10 minutes until the oil separates from the tomatoes. Add in the marinated chicken with all the juices and cook for another 6-7 minutes or until the chicken is completely cooked through.
Garnish with cilantro and serve hot with Roti, Naan or Rice. Enjoy!
