Chicken in wine With Crunchy Veggies

Drunk-Tangy Chicken With Crunchy Veggies

Chicken is a lean meat and for all non-vegetarians it is one of the best foods to be incorporated for keeping weight and cholesterol under control. The benefits of chicken diet is lost if it is cooked with too much of oil/fat. This recipe deals with tastier and easy to cook method of making chicken, retaining all the benefits of lean meat. The veggies by the side of juicy, slightly sweet, chicken with wine and mustard flavor add not only crunchiness to the meal, but also all other type of required proteins, dietary fibers , minerals and vitamins which chicken alone chicken cannot provide. Those who are not averse to carbs can add any type of bread. I prefers it without any accompaniment. My daughter in law loves this preparation of chicken and needless to say how much I enjoy the happiness and appreciation I see on her face while she is relishing the dish.

Preparation Time: 20 min.(marination time not included)

Cooking Time: 10 min.

Servings 2 Large servings

Ingredients Required For Making Chicken Sautéed in Wine:

• 500 gm. Boneless Chicken
• 100-120 ml. Red Wine (I used homemade wine which is not having any sweet taste)
• 3 Teaspoon Honey
• 2 Teaspoon Mustard powder (Preferably freshly powdered yellow mustard)
• 1/2teaspoon Red chili Powder (Optional)
• 3-4 Tea spoon Thick Curd
• 2 Teaspoon fresh Ginger-Garlic Paste
• Salt to taste
• 5-6 French Beans
• 1 Medium size Carrot
• 1 Medium size Capsicum
• 4-5 Mushrooms

Veggies 

• 1 ml. Olive Oil

Directions For Making Typsy Chicken:

• Making Marinade For Chicken:
• In a bowl take:
• 50 ml. wine
• Ginger- Garlic Paste
• 3-4 Tea spoons of thick curd
• Red chili powder
• Mustard powder
• Honey
• Salt
• Mix all ingredients with a spoon. It will be slightly liquidish marinade.
• Marinade for chicken is ready.
• Wash the chicken and cut them to 3-4 inches pieces.
• Drain all water from the washed chicken.
• Poke the pieces of chicken with a fork so that the marinade reaches inside the chicken pieces.
• Add marinade to the chicken and mix nicely to ensure every piece coated with the marinade.
• Cover and keep for minimum of 30 min. for marinating. (It can be kept in fridge for 2 days also for later use). I normally keep for 5-6 hrs for marinating to get full taste of marinade in the chicken.
• Wash all vegetables.
• Devein the beans and remove any thin roots present in the carrots. (I prefer not to peel it as lots of nutrients are lost in the process).
• Dry the mushrooms with a cloth.
• Cut beans to 2-3 inches pieces.
• Cut carrots to 2-3 inches long and thin pieces.
• Remove the stalk and seeds of capsicum and cut capsicum to the thin 2inches pieces.
• Cut each mushroom to 4 pieces and if they are huge then to 6-8 pieces.
• In a thick bottom pan take ½ ml of Olive oil and heat till hot (not smoking hot)

Olive oil for Chicken

• Put all chicken pieces and the marinade in the pan and cook on medium flame/heat flame with continuous tossing / stirring and turning to make sure chicken gets cooked with marinade evenly.

Marinated chicken with marinade in hot oil

• Add remainder 50-70 ml. of wine and bring down the flame to medium and let the chicken cook in wine for 4-5 min. Stir two or three times to ensure even cooking. Do not allow the juices to dry up completely. The chicken should be moist, juicy with little wine sauce along with it.

• While the chicken is cooking the color of chicken will change to pink. If not checked then the honey will get caramelized leading to brown color of chicken. This will also change the taste.
• While the chicken is cooking in wine take 1/2 ml. oil in another pan and heat it.
• Add carrots and beans and capsicun to the hot oil and stir for just 1 min. keeping the flame on high.

Veggies in 1/2 ml. oil on high flame

• Add mushrooms and cook for 1 more min.



Mushrooms added and being cooked

• Sprinkle salt to taste and mix all the while heat being on high flame for just one min.

• Switch off the gas and sprinkle 3-4 drops of honey and 1/2ml. of vinegar to the veggies and stir. I use apple cider.
• While the veggies were cooking the chicken becomes ready to be plated.

Chicken ready to be plated along with Veggies

• Place the veggies and chicken side by side in a plate and serve hot.



Drunk-Tangy Chicken with Crunchy Veggies

• Clear chicken / vegetable soup and any type of bread goes very well along with this dish .

Tips:

• In the absence of boneless chicken, chicken with bones can also be taken.
• If you are not comfortable cooking veggies and chicken together then cook chicken and keep aside then do the veggies as it takes 3-4 minutes only to do the veggies. Heat chicken by sprinkling 2-3 ml wine, then plate it with piping hot veggies.
• Too much reheating of chicken causes it to become dry so avoid heating again and again.
• Veggies should be cooked for 2-3 min. only. They should be crunchy not limp.

Suggested Variations:

• 1-2 ml of dark soy sauce can be added to the chicken while it is cookeing with marinade.
• Broccoli, Asparagus, cauliflower, Red/yellow/purple bell pepper can be added to the veggies. Let your imagination run wild in choosing veggies. It will add a different dimension to your dish.
• Little (2-3) ml. honey can be poured to the cooked chicken just before plating. Believe me it tastes yummy.

Chili Chicken(Chicken Cooked with Capsicum and Spring Onions)

Chili Chicken

Chili chicken is spicy chicken cooked with capsicum and spring onions. Extremely tasty and goes very well with all types of Indian bread. Since it is cooked in very little oil and has lots of green in it, it is very healthy. The sauces added to it give it distinct tangy flavor. I love this chicken preparation. No marination is required for making chili chicken so the preparation time is also reduced. Chili chicken is cooked on high flame if cooked on low flame it becomes chewy and rubbery.

Preparation Time: 30 min.

Cooking Time: 30-40 min

Servings: 8 large servings

Ingredients Required for Making Chili Chicken:

• 1 Kg. Boneless Chicken

• 1 Bunch spring Onions (Having at least 10-12 spring onions)

• 500 gm. Capsicum

• 5 Green chilies

• 15 ml. Soy sauce (2 Table spoon)

• 2 Table spoon Green Chili sauce

• 5 ml. Vinegar

• 4 Tea spoons Corn flour

• 10 ml. Cooking oil

• Salt to taste

Directions For Making Chili Chicken:

• Roast corn flour on low flame to golden pink color.

Roasted Corn Flour

• Wash the chicken in running water and squeeze water from it nicely.

• Cut the chicken to 4 inches pieces. And keep aside.

Chicken Cleaned and Cut to Pieces

• Wash and cut capsicum to 2 inches pieces.

Diced Capsicum

• Clean the spring onion of all yellow leafs and roots.

• Wash the cleaned spring onions in running water and drain all water.

• Cut the spring onions finely.

Cleaned and finely cut Spring Onions

• Remove the stalk of green chilies,wash and slit them. Remove the seeds and keep aside.

• In a thick bottom wok take oil and heat it. When the oil is hot (Not smoking hot) add the washed and cut chicken and cook on high flame with constant stirring and turning over the chicken pieces. Cook till the chicken starts turning very light pink in color and becomes tender. (Juices from chicken will come out while cooking and chicken will get cooked in it). This will taker 15-20 min.

Chicken cooked and ready for Capsicum and spring onions

• Add capsicum and slit green chilies. Mix nicely. Cook for 2-3 min. on high flame.

• Add spring onions and mix.

Capsicum and Spring Onions added and mixed

• Add corn flour and mix.

Corn Flour added to the cooked chicken, Capsicum and spring onions mixture.

• Add

• Soy sauce

• Green chili sauce

•  Vinegar

Sauces added

• Mix nicely.

• Add salt, roasted corn flour and mix nicely.

• Add 15 ml. water and mix. Cover and cook for 5 minute with occasional stirring.

• Chili chicken is ready. Serve with roti/parantha or crisp toast.

Chili Chicken

Tips:

• Do not cook the chicken on low flame it will become chewy.

• Too much of corn flour should not be added it is meant to hold all ingredients together.

• The chicken should be almost cooked before adding capsicum because capsicum and spring onions tastes nice in it when it is not over cooked.

Suggested Variations:

• Soy sauce can be replaced by dark soy sauce but the amount should be reduced to half.

• Chili chicken is meant to be spicy and hot but if you prefer less spicy then reduce the amount of green chilies and chili sauce as per taste.

• Amount of capsicum and spring onions can be always increased. It will enhance the taste.

Chicken Biryani (Rice layered with spicy chicken)

Chicken Biryani

Chicken Biryani is the famous Mugalai, rice and chicken preparation. Hyderabad and Lucknow are famous for Mughal food and biryani is one of them. Being a hostelite I used to be invited for lunch / dinner at my friends place whenever in her house biryani was cooked. The wonderful smell from the kitchen used to double my appetite and the delicious taste used to make me eat till my stomach would start protesting. What a wonderful gesture my friend’s mom used to make, by packing it for my dinner also.  To my friends who love cooking and eating, this rice preparation does take time and efforts. But then good things come with hard work.

Preparation Time: 30 min.

Cooking Time : 3 hrs maximum

Servings: 6 Large Sevings

          
Ingredients required for Chicken Biryani

• 500gm.Dressed Chicken cut to pieces.
• 200gm. Basmati Rice.
• 500gm.Onions. (400gm. Finely cut and 50 gm. Cut to thin long slices).
• 50gm.Garlic Paste.
• 50gm.Ginger Paste.
• 1/4 Tea spoon Black cumin seeds (Sah jeera).
• 4-5 Cloves.
• 2 Black Cardamoms.
• 4 Green Cardamoms.
• 3cm. Cinnamon Stick.
• 4 Bay leaves.
• 2-3 Petals of Star aniseed.
• 10-15 gm. Garam masala
• 1/2Teaspoon saffron

• 10-15 Cashew nuts
• 50ml.Ghee(clarified butter) / cooking oil.
• Red chili powder to taste.
• Salt to taste.
• Water.

Ingredients required for Marinade

• 100gm. Thick Curd.
• 1/4 Tea spoon Turmeric powder.
• 1 Pinch of Nutmeg powder.
• 10gm. Ginger Paste.
• 10gm. Garlic Paste.
• 1/4 Tea spoon Red chili powder.
• 15-20 Fresh Mint Leafs crushed to coarse paste

Coarse Paste of Mint leafs

Directions for Marinating the Chicken

• Wash the chicken pieces and drain.
• Mix 
• Curd, turmeric powder, 
• Nutmeg powder, 
• Ginger paste, garlic paste, 
• Chili powder, 
• Paste of Mint leafs and beat with a spoon. Marinade is ready.
• Prick the chicken pieces with a fork.
• Coat the chicken pieces with the marinade.
• Cover and keep aside for at least 3-4hrs.

Directions for making Biryani

 Step 1.

• Wash the skin and neck/wing portion of chicken which is left after dressing the chicken with a mixture of fresh lemon juice and water.
• Take the washed skin, and neck/wing portion in a pan and add 300ml. water 2cloves, 2-3cm. cinnamon stick, 1/2 tea spoon salt and boil for 15min.
• Filter the mixture through a sieve.
• Discard the skin and pieces and keep aside the liquid.
• 200 ml.Chicken stock is ready.

  Step 2. 

• Soak saffron in 20ml luke warn water. 

saffron soaking in water

• Wash and soak rice in 200ml. water for 30min.
• Drain the water from the soaked rice.
• Discard the water. In any case it will not be too much
• Add 1/2 Tea spoon salt and the chicken stock.( Made in step 1) and 200 ml water.
• Cook the rice in a thick bottom container till it is almost done but not completely cooked.

Rice Cooking In Chicken Stock

• Drain excess of water and keep the partially cooked rice aside.
• The grains of partially cooked rice should not be sticking to each other but should be separated from each other separated.
• If you feel they are sticking then pass running water through the partially cooked rice when it is hot.
• Mix thye Partially cooked rice with Saffron water. if any string of saffron are undissolved add them also in rice.
• Keep aside for further use.

Partially Cooked Rice mixed with Saffron

 Step 3.

• Take 15ml. Ghee/oil in a wok and heat.
• Break open black cardamoms.
• When the oil is smoking hot lower the flame, add 2 bay leaves, 2-3 cloves, black cardamoms, cinnamon stick, and cook for 30sec.
• Add finely cut onions and cook on low flame till golden brown.
• Add garlic paste and cook for one min.
• Add ginger paste and cook for 1min.
• Add marinated chicken and mix thoroughly.
• Add salt, chili powder to taste and mix.
• Add garam masala and mix.
• Cook on low flame with regular stirring for 5min.
• Add 250ml. of water, mix and cover.
• Cook on low flame for 10 min. with occasional stirring.
• Remove the wok from gas.The chicken should be just done not over cooked.

Step 4.

• Take 10ml. ghee /oil in a thick pan and heat.
• When the ghee/ oil is hot add 2 bay leaves, 2-3 cloves, green cardamoms, Shah jeera, nutmeg powder and cook for 30 seconds
• Remove and keep aside in a bowl.
• Seasoning is ready.
• Fry slices of onion and cashew to golden brown color. keep aside.

 Step5.

• Divide the rice into three equal portions.
• Take10ml ghee/oil in a thick bottom pan or pressure cooker heat till warm.

Ghee st the bttom layer

• Remove from gas and put an inch thick layer of one portion of rice mixture on the top of ghee/ oil and pat slightly.
• Divide the chicken with gravy into two portions.
• Spread one portion of chicken on the rice layer.

First Layer of Chicken Over Rice

• Spread the second portion of rice on the chicken layer.

Secon Layer of Rice Over Chicken

• Spread the second layer of chicken over the rice layer.

Chicken over Second Layer Of Rice

• Cover the chicken layer with last portion of rice by spreading the rice mixture evenly.

Second Layer of Chicken Covered With Rice Layer

 Step6.

• Spread the seasoning prepared in step4  and Golden brown fried onion slices on the top of the last rice layer.

Final Layer Of Rice Sprinkled with Seasoning and Fried Onions

• Put 2-3 teaspoon of ghee on the top. (Optinal)

Ghee spread at the top before baking

• Cover the pan with a lid and seal with wheat dough.
• Place a heavy iron plate on gas and keep the pan with chicken and rice on it. Cook for 15-20 min. on low flame. (If the whole material is taken in a baking dish then it can be baked in preheated oven at 150^oC for 30 min.).

Sealed before baking

Biryani Baking

• Remove from heat/ oven and let it cool for 10min.
• Open the lid take out chicken biryani in a serving plate, garnish with golden brown fried onion, Cashew nuts and fresh coriander leafs. Serve hot.

Chicken Biryani With Boondi raita

I am sure after so much of hard work you have put it will irresistible not to serve yourself before rest of the family members do.
 Chicken biryani tastes best with Thick curd /Rraita / Chutney/Pickle and papad as accompaniment. 

http://jyotsna-pant.blogspot.com/2012/06/spicy-mixed-vegetable-pickle-less-oily.html

http://jyotsna-pant.blogspot.com/2012/06/mango-pickle-north-indian-style.html

http://jyotsna-pant.blogspot.com/2012/06/tangy-mango-pickle-maharashra-style.html http://jyotsna-pant.blogspot.com/2011/10/green-coriander-and-mint-chutney.html http://jyotsna-pant.blogspot.com/2012/06/hariyali-chutney-raw-mango-chutney.html http://jyotsna-pant.blogspot.in/2012/07/pahari-kheere-ka-raita-cucumber-and.html

Tips:

• Those who do not like to make stock can cook rice in water but the flavor of chicken in rice comes out best when rice is cooked in chicken stock.
• Those who do not want to use skin for making stock can use only neck and wing portion to make the stock.

Suggested Variations:

• Instead of baking or using a thick bottom pan biryani can be made in cooker also.
• If making in cooker then do not put he gasket (rubber ring), put the lid with weight and place the cooker on the tawa over the low heat.
• The skin brings enough fat in stock, which gives very good flavor and texture to the biryani, yet those who bare averse to skin can use only wings and neck portion to make the stock.
• if stock is not made then plain water can be used to cook the rice.