When I was a young child, my dad raised chickens, both for the eggs and the meat. It’s easy for me to recall the smell of the straw and chicken poop as I collected the eggs; or a vision of my mother, out there in her house dress, holding a chicken by the feet, head on the chopping block and axe in hand. It never occurred to me that that was the start of my supper.
I’ve always enjoyed chicken, but in those days one chicken would feed our family of 10; the portions were small and we filled up on spuds, vegetables and homemade bread. Most often my mom would extend the chicken by cooking it up in some kind of casserole.
Today chicken is still a common ingredient in many recipes because it’s high in protein and tastes great. I have two comforting chicken recipes to offer today. Traditional curry tends to be thick and rich — with calories to match; but today’s recipe has 398 calories per serving and is brighter and lighter, with a thin sauce and curry seasoning rubbed right into the chicken for maximum flavour. The second recipe is a variation of chicken pot pie made with a bacon biscuit topping. It’s definitely a comfort food.
Quick Chicken Curry with Tomatoes & Peas
1 cup long-grain white rice
2 tablespoons olive oil
1-1/2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into 2-inch pieces
2 teaspoons curry powder
Kosher salt and pepper
3/4 cup dry white wine
1 onion, sliced 1/4-inch thick
2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
1 tablespoon grated fresh ginger
1 pint grape tomatoes, halved
3/4 cup frozen peas, thawed
Cook the rice according to package directions. Set aside and keep warm.
Meanwhile, heat 1 Tbsp. oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat.
Season the chicken with the curry powder and 1/4 tsp. each salt and pepper and cook until browned, 2 to 3 minutes per side. Transfer to a bowl.
Add the wine to the skillet and cook, scraping up any brown bits, for 2 minutes. Transfer to the bowl with the chicken.
Wipe out the skillet and heat the remaining 1 Tbsp. oil over medium heat. Add the onion and cook, covered, stirring occasionally, for 6 minutes. Stir in the garlic and ginger and cook for 1 minute. Return the chicken and wine to the skillet, add the tomatoes and peas, and cook until heated through, about 3 minutes. Serve over the rice. — recipe by Kate Merker
Bacon-Cheddar
Chicken Pot Pie
4 oz. (about 4 strips) thick-cut bacon
1 cup frozen pearl onions, not thawed
3 medium carrots, peeled and cut into 1/2- inch slices
3 cloves garlic, finely chopped
1-3/4 cups flour
3 cups low-sodium chicken broth
Kosher salt
2 cups shredded rotisserie chicken, skin removed
1 cup frozen peas
1 tablespoon sugar
1-1/2 teaspoons baking powder
5 tablespoons cold unsalted butter, cut into small pieces
1/2 cup (plus 2 tablespoons) lowfat buttermilk
1/4 cup coarsely grated cheddar
Heat oven to 450 degrees F.
Cook the bacon in a 10-inch cast-iron skillet over medium heat until crisp, 8 to 10 minutes; transfer to a paper towel-lined plate. Roughly chop when cool.
Discard all but 1 tablespoon of the fat from the skillet. Add the onions and cook, stirring occasionally, for 4 minutes. Add the carrots and garlic and cook, stirring, for 1 minute more.
In a bowl, whisk together 1/4 cup flour and 1/2 cup broth until smooth.
Add the flour-broth mixture to the skillet, then add the remaining 2 1/2 cups broth and 1/2 teaspoon salt and stir to combine. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer until the carrots are tender and the mixture has slightly thickened, 10 to 12 minutes. Fold in the chicken and peas. Remove from heat.
In a large bowl, whisk together the remaining 1 1/2 cups flour, sugar, baking powder and 1/4 teaspoon salt. Add the butter; rub the mixture between fingers until fine crumbs form. Fold in the bacon. Using a large fork, gradually add 1/2 cup buttermilk, mixing until just combined (do not overmix).
Form the dough into 6 biscuit-shaped pieces and place on top of the filling. Brush the tops with the remaining 2 tablespoons buttermilk and sprinkle with the cheese.
Place the skillet on a baking sheet and bake until the biscuits are golden brown and cooked through, 22 to 25 minutes.
Cathi Litzenberger is The Morning Star’s longtime food columnist, appearing every other Wednesday and one Sunday per month.
