Butter Chicken Masala

​All I want when it’s cold outside is creamy, hearty, warm meals! I got sick of eating soup variations so I tried a recipe for Butter Chicken. It’s a little spicy, really creamy, packed with flavor, and I can have it with cauliflower rice which has been my new thing. Here’s my take! 

Time: 30 mins plus time for the chicken to marinate  

Ingredients:  

• 1 cup plain yogurt (I used Greek)
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice
• 2 teaspoons freshly sliced ginger
• 2 teaspoons ground cumin
• 3 teaspoons ground cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon cayenne pepper
• 1 teaspoon black pepper
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 4 skinless chicken thighs, chopped into bite-sized cubes
• 1 tablespoon butter
• 1 teaspoon minced garlic
• 2 tablespoons chopped chili pepper, I used jalapeño
• 2 teaspoons hot paprika
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup tomato sauce, unseasoned
• 1 cup half & half (can use heavy cream)
• 1 tablespoon water
• 2 teaspoons corn starch (optional) 
• cilantro for garnish (optional)  

Recipe:  

1. Cut the chicken into cubes, removing any fat or skin, then add it to a large freezer / zip loc bag.
2. Add the yogurt, lemon juice, 2 teaspoons of the cumin, cinnamon, cayenne, black pepper, fresh ginger and salt. 
3. Close the bag removing any air, and use your hands outside of the bag to move the chicken around the mixture so it coats evenly. Refrigerate overnight.
4. When you’re ready to cook the chicken, take it out of the bag with as little of the marinade as possible. Put it in a bowl & set it aside.
5. In a pressure cooker, add the butter, garlic and jalapeno. Let it sauté for a bit so the butter melts & the garlic cooks. 
6. In a small bowl, add 2 teaspoons cumin, paprika, salt, tomato sauce and heavy cream. Stir to combine.
7. Pour the sauce over the chicken in the pressure cooker and cook for 5 mins. Let it release steam naturally for another 10 minutes before removing the lid. Hint: if you don’t have a pressure cooker, you can slow cook the mixture for 4 hours. 
8. If using cornstarch to thicken the sauce, stir it into one tablespoon of water and add the mixture to the pressure cooker.
9. Stir to combine.
10. Garnish with cilantro and serve!

Succotash

Weird to try making something you never ate before! What can I say, I'm adventerous! And I'm glad I tried it. Succotash just might be the perfect side dish for Spring (if it ever shows up!) 

 Time: 40 mins 

Ingredients: 

• 1 can lima beans 
• 2 cups corn kernels (I used frozen)
• 1/2 white onion
• 3 cloves garlic
• 1 teaspoon dried thyme  
• 1/3 red onion, diced
• 2 cups grape tomatoes 
• 1 tablespoon olive oil  
• 1 tablespoon red wine vinegar  
• Salt & pepper to taste  

Recipe:  

1. Pour the lima beans, 1/2 onion, garlic cloves & some salt and pepper into a medium sized pot. Cover with water. 
2. Bring the water to a boil then cover the pot & lower the heat to a simmer. Let simmer for 20 mins.
3. Once the 20 minutes are over, reserve about 1 cup of the liquid, then strain the rest. Remove the garlic cloves & half onion. 
4. In a large skillet, add the olive oil & the red onion. Sauté for 1 min on medium heat.  
5. Add the tomatoes, thyme & the corn to the skillet.  
6. After about 3 minutes, add the lima beans, red wine vinegar & reserved liquid to the skillet.  Add salt & pepper now as well. 
7. Toss the mixture to combine, then remove it from heat & serve!