Chicken and Apricot Masala

Adapted from NYT Cooking

Ingredients

• 1 cup dried apricots
• ½ teaspoon hot red pepper flakes
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1 teaspoon ground coriander
• 4 whole cloves
• 1/2 tsp ground cardamom (or 4 pods, lightly crushed)
• 1 tablespoon minced ginger
• 1/4 cup garlic-infused olive oil
• 1 cinnamon stick
• 1 small red or yellow onion, peeled and finely chopped, about 1/2 cup*
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 3 pounds skinless chicken breast, tenderloins, or thighs, in 1" dice
• 4 medium tomatoes, cut into 1/2-inch dice
• 2 tablespoons tomato paste, diluted in 1/2 cup water (or 1/2 cup diced canned tomatoes in liquid)
• 3 tablespoons chopped cilantro leaves 

*substitute try green onions or green leeks in place of onion, for low FODMAP

Directions

1. Soak apricots overnight in 2 cups cold water, or cover with 2 cups hot water and soak until swollen and softened, 2 to 3 hours.
2. Prepare masala: In a small bowl, combine hot pepper flakes, cumin, coriander, cloves, cardamom, and ginger. Add 1/4 cup water, and stir to make a paste. Set aside.
3. In a large sauté pan over medium heat, heat oil and cinnamon stick. Add onions and salt, and sauté until onions begin to soften, 2 to 3 minutes. Add masala, and stir. Add chicken, and stir for about 5 minutes. Add apricots and their soaking liquid, diced tomatoes and diluted tomato paste.
4. Cover and simmer until chicken is cooked through, about 30 minutes. Check cooking liquid about halfway through; if chicken is covered with liquid, remove cover for remainder of cooking. Transfer to a large bowl, sprinkle with cilantro and serve hot with basmati rice.

 

Black Pepper Chicken with Mangoes and Cashews

Adapted from NYT Cooking

Ingredients

• 1 teaspoon light brown sugar
• 2 teaspoons black pepper
• 1/2 teaspoon cayenne
• 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
• 3 tbsp garlic-infused olive oil 
• 1/2 cup salted cashews
• 1 3/4 pound boneless, skinless chicken breast tenderloins, cut into 1-inch chunks
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1/4 cup finely chopped scallions or leeks
• 2 tbsp chopped cilantro stems
• 2 tbsp dark rum
• 1 large (15-ounce) mango, cut into 1/4-inch cubes (or use 2 small mangoes)
• 1 1/2 teaspoons cider vinegar, to taste
• 1/3 cup chopped fresh cilantro leaves  

 Directions

1. In a small bowl, stir together the brown sugar, 1 teaspoon black pepper and 1/4 teaspoon cayenne. Heat 2 tablespoon oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the cashews and sugar-spice mixture to the skillet; cook, stirring constantly, until nuts are golden, 2 to 3 minutes. Scrape nuts into a bowl. (Note: be sure to stir, or nuts will burn.)
2. Wipe out skillet with a paper towel. Season chicken all over with salt, and remaining 1 teaspoon pepper and 1/4 teaspoon cayenne. Return skillet to medium-high heat and add the 3 tablespoons garlic-infused oil. Add scallions/leeks and cilantro stems; cook, stirring, for 1 minute. Add chicken. Cook, stirring occasionally, until chicken is cooked through, about 5 minutes (do not overcook). Pour in the rum and cook, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom of the pan, until the rum evaporates, about 1 minute.
3. Remove pan from heat and immediately add nuts, mango, vinegar and cilantro leaves. Taste and adjust seasonings, if necessary.
4. Optional: remove chicken mixture from pan using a slotted spoon and place in a covered bowl. (Leave remaining liquid in pan.) Fill pan with baby spinach leaves and cook on medium-high, stirring to coat leaves with liquid, about 5 minutes or until spinach wilts. Serve as a side vegetable. 

Serve chicken on basmati rice and/or with cooked spinach.