Cooking Meat on a Weeknight! - Chicken Fry
Dr. Mom's Healthy Tips:
Essential Amino Acids: Essential amino acids are amino acids that our body cannot make and so we need them in our diet. Meat is a complete protein which has all 9 essential amino acids. Any deficiency in these essential amino acids can lead to muscle break down, so for this reason I would cook meat at least twice a week when my children were young. Vegetarians, don't worry! Although legumes alone do not have all 9 essential amino acids, you can ensure you get these amino acids by combining legumes with grains.
Food Safety: While shopping for poultry, look for antibiotic-free poultry. Hormones are not allowed in poultry farming. It is also important to know where your meat is coming from (I get my meat from an Amish meat market).
Cooking Tips: Be careful not to char meat when cooking as charring is linked to inflammation.
Chicken fry is my husband's favorite dish, so I make it quite often! I save time by cutting and marinating the chicken over the weekend. Then, all I have to do on a weeknight is fry it and serve! After a long day at work, its nice to sit down and watch him savor this meal.
Chicken Fry
Total Prep Time: 5 minutes
Total Cook Time: 25 minutes
Ingredients:
Meat & Vegetables
6 pieces boneless chicken thighs (may substitute with chicken breast)
1 medium onion, sliced
1 green chili pepper, sliced
Oil
2 tablespoons olive oil
Spices
1 tablespoon ginger-garlic paste
1/2 tablespoon chili powder**
1/2 tablespoon salt **
1 teaspoon turmeric
1 tablespoon garam masala
1 inch cinnamon
2 cloves
2 cardamom seeds
1/2 teaspoon cumin seeds
Herbs
10-12 mint leaves
Nuts
1 tablespoon shredded coconut
Handful of cashews
** Flavor is an expression of your personality; therefore, while rough guidelines on salt and chili measurements have been given, please do tailor them to your own tastes or dietary tolerance.
Directions:
Cut chicken into 1-inch cubes and mix with ginger-garlic paste, chili powder, salt, turmeric, and garam masala. Marinate for at least 1 hour (for best results, marinate overnight).
In a frying pan on medium heat, add 1 tablespoon olive oil, onions, and green chili pepper. Cook for 5 minutes, until soft. Transfer to a bowl.
To the same frying pan on medium heat, add 1 tablespoon olive oil and season with cinnamon, cloves, cardamoms, and cumin seeds.
Once mixture begins to bubble, add the marinated chicken and fry turning occasionally for 15-20 minutes, until chicken is cooked.
Add onions mixture, mint, and shredded coconut and cook for an additional 2-3 minutes.
Add cashews, cover pan, and turn off heat. Let sit for at least 10 minutes.
Time-Saving Option:
When I'm low on time, I just add the marinated chicken pieces to 1 tablespoon of oil and fry it for 15-20 minutes, until fully cooked. Since the chicken has already been infused with the spices, this quick option is quite delicious too!