Monday, July 29, 2013

Honey Curry Chicken (2 Ways!)

Thank goodness for Instagram! One quick photo and then this was devoured!

I've made this dish a few times (and blogged it here) and we enjoy it every time, but it wasn't exactly right. Sometimes you just need to leave well enough alone, but this recipe was one that I wanted to perfect. So, I made a few changes and it was a huge hit! There are now a few more steps, but I'm also going to include instructions for the slow cooker, which is incredibly easy-and a good way to go when you get busy and don't have any thawed chicken breasts on hand. Like me, most of the time.

Even if you haven't tried curry, this is a dish that anyone will like. It's flavorful, it's savory, it's a little sweet, and it's delicious. Definitely a permanent recipe file dish for us!

Honey Curry Chicken (2 Ways!)
*Adapted from Fix-It and Forget-It Cookbook

4 tablespoons butter
3/4 cup honey
1/2 cup mustard
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons curry powder
1 tablespoon coconut oil
4-5 chicken breasts, cut into 1-inch cubes
Salt and pepper
Cilantro

Preheat oven to 350º. Melt 1 tablespoon coconut oil in a large skillet. Add cubed chicken, season with salt and pepper, and sauté for about 5 minutes, or until beginning to brown.

Meanwhile, mix honey, mustard, salt, and curry powder together in a medium bowl. In a small saucepan, melt butter and add honey mixture, stirring to combine. Keep warm while chicken is cooking.

Once the chicken has begun to brown, pour honey curry mixture on top and stir to coat. Put the skillet in the oven and bake for 10-15 minutes, stirring once or twice, or until chicken is cooked through. Serve over jasmine rice and top with cilantro.

CrockPot Directions:

Spray your crock and add 4 frozen chicken breasts. Season with salt and pepper. In a small saucepan, melt butter and coconut oil. Add mustard, honey, salt, and curry powder. Stir to combine and warm through. You're not cooking this sauce, just warming it a bit so it all combines smoothly.

Pour sauce over chicken, cover and cook on low for 5-6 hours or on high for 4. I usually turn the chicken once during the cooking process, but it probably isn't necessary. The chicken is done when it shreds easily with a fork-in other words, it will basically fall apart in delicious ways!

Shred the chicken. Make a slurry of 1 tablespoon cornstarch and 1 tablespoon water. Whisk into the sauce and repeat if necessary to thicken (one time has always made it the perfect consistency for me). Add your shredded chicken back in and stir to coat. Serve over jasmine rice and top with cilantro.

Enjoy!