Saturday, October 30, 2010

CITRUS CHICKEN WITH PEANUTS, APRICOT & MINT!

I was suppose to post this yesterday but got very little time and never could really sit down to write! Most of you must have tried or at least heard of chicken and apricot…well, I came across the apricot-chicken combination only very recently. Since, then it has been on my mind. This recipe just happened as I went in hunting down the refrigerator.

The question was what would taste good with apricot and chicken?? Well, a sauce with orange juice is what first came into my mind, next the crunch….nuts were on my mind…but which one…. Remembered a Sanjeev Kapoor’s recipe that had chicken coated in peanuts. Mint just happen as I took some out to garnish tried eating a little with mint leaves and I was sure this dish would be unfinished without it.

Jasmine rice will make a great accompaniment for this dish. Or you could just have it as one dish meal. I did thatJ. Don’t go for bread though.

If you read on, you’ll find that I have not used any extra salt in the chicken except while marinating and salted peanuts. That would give enough flavour and you won’t need to use extra. Use freshly ground ginger for marinating chicken. ‘DON’T’ use store bought ginger paste. You can use olive oil instead of butter. Also, don’t opt out on the green chillies this time because the heat simply adds to the flavour. Strictly, use freshly made orange juice.

Oh! And by the way don’t throw the water you are soaking apricots in, we need that too J
Ingredients: (Serves-3)

Chicken breast – 3 fillets cut into thin strips
Dry apricot – 8 soaked in a cup of water for few hours and chopped into small cubes
water drained from soaked apricots
Freshly Made Orange juice- 3 cups
Roasted Peanuts (salted) -1 cup
Mint- leaves only- from 3 sprigs chopped
Apple cider vinegar- ¼ teaspoon
Sugar- ¾ tablespoon
Butter – 1 tablespoon

Marinade for chicken:
Freshly ground ginger paste- 1 teaspoon
Green chilly- 3 (increase for more spicy)
Lime juice- 1 tablespoon
Orange zest- 2 teaspoons
Salt to taste

Method:
1.       Marinate chicken in listed ingredients and refrigerate for 15mins.
2.       Meanwhile, melt butter in a large sauce pan.
3.       Add orange juice, water drained from soaked apricots and sugar.
          Let it simmer on a high flame.
4.       When the quantity reduces to “ALMOST” half, add chicken and stir.
5.       Now let the mixture cook with lid closed till it starts to thicken.
6.       Open peanuts pack and empty it into the pan.
7.       Mix well and switch heat off when consistence is as thick as in picture.

1 n 2 is marinating chicken while 3 is when we are almost ready to switch off the heat!!
    8.       Garnish with chopped mint leaves and serve with jasmine rice or basmati.
              Other wise, you always have the option of doing what I did J !!

11 comments:

  1. Mmm!! All my favorite ingredients... this is definitely a keeper!

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  2. YUM - what a great combination! Kate@kateiscooking

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  3. Delicious combination of ingredients! I love new chicken recipes...thanks for this one :)

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  4. I love mixing chicken with fruits! :D

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  5. What a beautiful dish, and the presentation is fabulous. Love the citrus and apricots together in this.

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  6. That looks gorgeous. I love the flavor combinations that you use on it.

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  7. This looks soo good, and your pictures are gorgeous. one can never have enough chicken recipes:)

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  8. Very interesting flavor combos. It looks sooooo good. Lovely job.

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  9. Why so much Indian food in Scottish listings?

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