Crock Pot Chicken Tikka Masala

I'm kicking myself for not finding this recipe sooner in life.  If you only need one reason to own a slow cooker, this is it. 

Ingredients:

3-4 pounds boneless chicken cut into pieces

1 onion chopped

5 cloves garlic minced

5 fresh tomatoes, chopped and smashed with your hands 

2 Tablespoons garam masala

1 Tablespoon curry powder

1 teaspoon cumin

1/2 teaspoon onion powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

cayenne to taste

2 cups plain yogurt

1cup heavy cream - 1/2 cup for now, 1/2 cup for when it's finished cooking

3 Taespoons arrowroot

Fresh lemon & cilantro

Coat the chicken pieces with the spice mixture, then stir in yogurt to coat.  Cover and refrigerate for a few hours to overnight.

Put into the crock pot with 1/2 cup of the heavy cream.  Stir well and set the temp:

HIGH - 8 hours

LOW - 4 hours

Just before serving, stir the arrowroot into the remaining 1/2 cup of cream, and add to the crock pot stirring to combine.  

Serve over hot basmati rice, top with cilantro and a fresh squeeze of lemon.

Just as good as a fine curry take-out, even better because it's made at home. 

Chicken Curry Puffs

I had these as take out once, and was so disappointed that I decided to make my own!  Super yummy.

Chicken Curry Puffs
Boil one package of boneless skinless chicken breasts.  Drain and cool, then dice into small pieces.
Chop one onion.
Saute the chopped onion and chcooked chopped chicken in olive oil until onion is limp.
Add about 2 Tbs. curry powder, 1/4 tsp. salt and 1/4 cup water.
Cook and stir until heated through.
Set aside.

Pastry
Use a food processor if you have one!
Mix together until the mixture resembles crumbs:
2 cups flour
1/4 tsp. salt
1/2 cup cold butter (or vegetable oil)
slowly add:
1/2 cup cold water
mix for a minute, then using your hands, form the dough into a ball. 
Roll out on a well floured surface until fairly thin.
Cut out into circles (I use a mason jar)
Place about 1-2 tsp. filling on each round
dip your fingers in water and moisten the edge of the circle all the way around.  Fold over to make a half moon, and pinch seal with your fingers.
Cook in hot vegetable oil until crispy and brown

Dipping Sauce
Mix together about 2 tablespoons of apricot jam + 1 Tablespoon pepper jelly or chili sauce.  Add red pepper flakes for heat, add a littl water to stir to a dipping sauce consistency that you like.

(Tempeh) Curried Chicken Salad (v)

This is one of my summer staples.  I love chicken salad, but I love this even more because it's healthy.  Tempeh is a fermented soybean cake.  It really doesn't have much flavor, which is great because so many things can be made with it!  I always steam or boil my tempeh first to get it moistened.  It kind of smells like bread when I'm steaming it.  You can make this plain, but I always seem to add curry to it.

Tempeh Curried Chicken Salad
Boil or steam one package of tempeh for about 5 minutes.  I usually boil or stem it whole or cut in half. 
Drain and rinse with cool water.  Chop into small pieces that resemble the texture of chicken salad.  Put into a bowl with:
1 large stalk celery, diced
1/4 cup raisins or chopped red grapes
1/4 cup yogurt or mayo
about 1/4-1/2 tsp. curry powder
1 Tablespoon pickle relish
1 Tablespoon shredded unsweetened coconut
juice of half of a lime or lemon

Stir well to incorporate all ingredients and put in a covered container to chill.
salt to taste.  Delicios as a sandwich filling, on crackers, or by the forkload.