Main Dishes | Recipes that Fit

Chicken Tikka Masala

May 072012

I’ve wanted to make Chicken Tikka Masala for a while now since it’s one of my favorite Indian dishes. The version you get in restaurants is usually good but often very heavy. So I started with this lighter recipe from Skinnytaste, and made just a few changes. I kept the overall combination of spices which created a flavor that seemed authentic to me, and not too spicy. The combination of tomatoes and spices also gave the dish a rich color.

I really wanted to see if I could prevent the yogurt from curdling, so I let the masala cool for about 5-10 minutes before stirring it in. The yogurt still curdled a bit, probably from the acidic tomatoes. It didn’t matter one bit though, I really liked this dish and am happy to enjoy it right at home!

Chicken Tikka Masala

1 T canola oil
1 large Vidalia onion, peeled and diced
1 T garlic ginger paste
1 T cumin
1 T garam masala
1 t turmeric
2 t chili powder
1 (14 oz.) can diced tomatoes in juice
1/2 c. water
1/2 c. skim milk
5 boneless, skinless chicken thighs, cut into bite sized pieces
6 oz. plain nonfat Greek yogurt

Heat oil in a large frying pan. Saute onion on medium-low heat until golden brown, about 15-20 minutes. Add garlic ginger paste and stir for 1 minute. Add spices and stir for 1 minute. Add tomatoes, water, and milk, and simmer for 5-10 minutes. Add chicken pieces, cover, and simmer until chicken is cooked through. Remove from heat and allow to cool for 5-10 minutes. Stir in yogurt and serve.

-Lightly adapted from Skinnytaste

Dal Nirvana

Main Dishes 2 Responses »

May 012012

I was really craving some Chana Masala, but I was out of chickpeas. However, I had a big bag of lentils and I found this recipe for Dal Nirvana. I made a few changes in an attempt to reduce the amount of saturated fat without compromising the taste. I replaced the butter and cream in the original recipe with nonfat Greek yogurt, which helped make the dish creamy. There was just one aesthetic problem - I added the yogurt when the dal was very hot, and it separated. This didn’t affect the taste of the dish, but the photo is so horrible I can’t even post it. I also cut back the cayenne pepper so that it wouldn’t be too spicy, and added a dash of curry powder for a little more Indian flavor.

In the end, I liked this dal but it probably won’t make it into my rotation of Indian dishes. There are just too many recipes that I like even more, like Chana Masala, Chicken Saagwala, and Red Bean Curry. Plus, there’s plenty more Indian recipes I’d like to try. I think Chicken Tikka Masala might be next on the list…..

Dal Nirvana

1 c. lentils
1″ piece of ginger, peeled and minced
1 t minced garlic
1/4 t cayenne pepper
Dash salt
Dash curry
1 (14.5 oz.) can petite diced tomatoes
1 (6 oz.) container nonfat plain Greek yogurt
Fresh cilantro

Place lentils in a medium saucepan and cover with water. Simmer covered for 10-15 minutes, until lentils are tender. Drain lentils, and return to pan. Add ginger, garlic, pepper, salt, and curry powder and stir well. Add tomatoes and 1 cup of water. Simmer covered for 30 minutes. Remove cover, and continue to simmer until the mixture is thick. Remove from heat and allow to cool briefly. Stir in yogurt and cilantro. Serve with brown rice or naan.

-Adapted from Budget Bytes

Artichoke Tart with Polenta Crust

Main Dishes 1 Response »

Apr 232012

I was talking to a friend the other day about artichokes. She has a love of artichokes that she passed on to her daughter, so now they enjoy them together. I’ve never felt that strongly about artichokes. Sure, I’ve eaten (more than) my fair share of Spinach Artichoke Dip, but I’ll eat just about anything that involves spinach and cheese. When I saw this recipe for an Artichoke Tart, I was really drawn in by the polenta crust and the pretty fluted tart pan. I also figured it would give me a chance to try artichokes on their own.

The recipe looks more complicated than it really is, and polenta is very forgiving. You really don’t need to fuss. I liked the creamy texture of the tart, although it could have used just a bit more flavor. I think some garlic or caramelized onions would help. And the verdict on the artichokes? They were my least favorite part. I admit, I was wishing I had used spinach, or mushrooms, or asparagus. But that is the beauty of a recipe like this one, you can pick whatever vegetable you like.

Artichoke Tart with Polenta Crust

Crust
3 c. water
1 Knorr Vegetable Bouillon cube
1 c. cornmeal
1/2 c. Parmesan cheese
1 egg
1/4 t black pepper

Filling
1 c. nonfat Greek yogurt
2 eggs
1/2 c. Parmesan cheese
1 T Italian seasoning
1/4 t black pepper
1 (14 oz.) can artichokes, drained well
1/2 c. low fat ricotta cheese

Heat water in a pan on medium heat. When the water is simmering, dissolve bouillon cube. Pour cornmeal into the pot slowly, stirring constantly. Reduce heat to low, and continue stirring for 5-10 minutes, until polenta is thickened. Remove from heat, stir in Parmesan cheese, and allow to rest for 10 minutes. Stir in egg and black pepper. Spread polenta mixture into a large pie dish or tart pan coated with cooking spray. Spread the crust up the sides, and use a spatula or your fingers to make it smooth.

Mix yogurt, eggs, Pamesan cheese, and spices in a bowl and set aside.

Place artichoke pieces on the crust. Place spoonfuls of ricotta cheese around the articokes. Pour the yogurt filling into the crust.

Place pie dish or tart pan on a cookie sheet, and bake at 375F for 45-50 minutes.

-Lightly adapted from Stacey Snacks

Broccoli Chicken Alfredo

Main Dishes No Responses »

Apr 162012

Last week I spotted some fettuccine alfredo at the hospital cafeteria, and realized that the only ‘alfredo’ recipe on the blog was Hungry Girl’s Girlfredo Pizza. Here is my attempt at a more traditional alfredo, inspired by this recipe. You’ll notice there’s not much chicken, but a little bit goes a long way.

Although this is a fairly simple recipe, I had 4 burners going at once in order to steam the broccoli, cook the chicken, boil the pasta, and make the cheese sauce. That’s a little too much work for an average weeknight, so I’d save this dish for the weekend and cook the chicken in advance if you can.

Once I finally sat down to eat, I really enjoyed this dish. It was rich and creamy without being too heavy. It’s not exactly what you’d get in an Italian restaurant, but it’s pretty good!

Broccoli Chicken Alfredo

1 (16 oz.) package broccoli, steamed
2 boneless, skinless chicken thighs, cooked and cut into bite sized pieces
2 T canola oil
2 t minced garlic
2 T flour
1 c. vegetable broth
1/4 c. nonfat Greek yogurt
1/4 c. nonfat milk
Dash paprika
1/2 c. grated Parmesan, Romano, and Asiago cheese (such as from Trader Joe’s)
6 oz. whole wheat linguine, cooked al dente

Pour oil into a medium saucepan on medium low heat. Add garlic, and fry for 1-2 minutes, being careful not to burn it. Stir in flour and mix until smooth. Reduce heat to low and stir in broth, yogurt, and milk. Add paprika. Cook for 2-3 minutes until thickened. Stir in cheese and remove from heat.

Toss together broccoli, chicken, linguine, and cheese sauce and serve.

- Adapted from celebrations.com

Crockpot Ethiopian Chicken Stew

Main Dishes No Responses »

Apr 112012

I’ve been looking for some spicy food lately, and this Ethiopian Chicken Stew looked like a good recipe to try. The recipe also calls for hard boiled eggs, and it just so happens that I had some beautifully colored eggs in my refrigerator. Traditionally, the egg is placed in the stew whole, but it was easier to eat when I chopped it up.

Some of the comments on the original recipe indicated the stew was fairly spicy, and a full teaspoon of cayenne pepper seemed like too much for me. I cut that back to a 1/4 teaspoon which ended up being just right. I also wanted to mention that I used frozen chopped onions for the first time. Not only did it save me time, but I am pretty sure it also saved me money.

The stew may not be the prettiest dish in the world, but it hit the spot perfectly. Next time I’ll try to make my own injera!

Crockpot Ethiopian Chicken Stew

1 (14.5 oz.) can petite diced tomatoes
6 boneless, skinless chicken thighs
1 (12 oz.) bag chopped onion
1/4 c. red wine vinegar
1 t ginger
1 T paprika
1/4 t cayenne pepper
1 t turmeric
2 c. water
Hard boiled eggs

Place tomatoes in the bottom of the crockpot. Place chicken thighs over tomatoes. Add onions, vinegar, spices, and water. Cook on High for 4-5 hours, or until chicken is falling apart. Serve each bowl with a hard boiled egg.

-Adapted from Stephanie O’Dea (Crockpot 365)