Easy Chicken Lababdar

Ingredients

• 1.5 lb Chicken breast (cut into bite-sized pieces)
• 3 Onions (2 sliced for gravy, 1 cut into petals for finishing)
• 4 Tomatoes (chopped, divided)
• 3 Green chilies (chopped)
• 4 tbsp Vegetable oil (divided (referred to as food lube))
• 2 tbsp Cumin seeds (divided)
• 6 Garlic cloves (whole)
• 2 tbsp Ginger garlic paste (divided)
• 27 Cashews (raw)
• 1 Bay leaf
• 1 Cinnamon stick
• 3 Cardamom pods
• 1 tsp Turmeric powder
• 1 tsp Red chili powder
• 1 tsp Garam masala
• 1 tbsp Kasoori methi (dried fenugreek leaves)
• 1 tsp Sugar
• 0.25 cup Heavy cream
• Orange food coloring (a touch)
• Salt (to taste)

Steps

1. 1

   Slice the onions, chop the tomatoes, chop the green chilies, and cut the chicken breast into bite-sized pieces.

2. 2

   In a pan, add oil and let it heat up over medium heat.

3. 3

   Add cumin seeds and whole garlic cloves to the oil. Let the garlic cloves cook until they darken.

4. 4

   Add ginger paste and the sliced onions to the pan. Sauté until the onions are cooked down and soft.

5. 5

   Add chopped green chilies, a portion of the chopped tomatoes, 25 to 30 cashews, a bit of water, and salt.

6. 6

   Toss in a bay leaf, cinnamon stick, and cardamom pods. Cover the pan and cook for 10 to 15 minutes until the tomatoes are soft.

7. 7

   Remove the bay leaf and cinnamon stick from the mixture. Transfer the remaining contents to a blender and blend until smooth. Set the gravy aside.

8. 8

   In the same pan, add a bit more oil. Add the chicken breast pieces, turmeric, red chili powder, and salt. Cook for a few minutes until the chicken is done.

9. 9

   Remove the chicken from the pan and add more oil. Add a tablespoon of cumin seeds and ginger garlic paste, cooking until fragrant.

10. 10

    Add the remaining chopped tomatoes, additional spices (turmeric, chili powder), a touch of water, and the onion petals.

11. 11

    Cook for another few minutes, then pour in the blended gravy.

12. 12

    Add garam masala, kasoori methi, sugar, salt, and heavy cream. Stir to combine.

13. 13

    Cook for another couple of minutes to let the flavors meld.

14. 14

    Add a touch of orange food coloring for presentation and serve.

Notes

The author uses the term 'food lube' to refer to cooking oil. The orange food coloring is optional and used primarily for the restaurant-style aesthetic.

Nutrition per serving

• main
• chicken
• curry
• Indian
• dinner
• creamy
• restaurant-style