Aloo Chicken

This is a great recipe! Especially with thighs. Any good cook knows that fat is flavor, and that is yet another reason why thighs are superior to breasts. Chicken thighs are a fattier cut of meat, which means they're going to have more intense, rich flavor than their white meat counterparts. Also, when creating recipes for people of all levels, thighs are more forgiving and won’t dry out like a breast.

Just made this tonight and it was a huge hit. I didn’t have Kashmiri chili so I used a blend of sweet & spicy paprikas and I didn’t have cashew butter so I used tahini. I used homemade chicken stock & also added approx 1/4 coconut milk at the end. The squeeze of lemon really rounds out the flavor! Definitely adding this to the rotations!

Chicken legs (thighs and drumsticks) and chicken bones impart a considerable more flavour into a dish than breasts (see serious eats white chicken stock for proof). Plus the extra time taken to tenderise chicken legs, naturally results in more flavour in the broth/sauce because longer cooking extracts more flavour from the ingredients used.

Worked nicely with a block of firm tofu, cubed, in lieu of chicken. Used oil and vegetable broth for a vegan version; also added about 3 cups cooked chickpeas with the potatoes. Delicious atop steamed rice! (Cooking for one, I expect the leftovers to be quite lovely, too.)

Crush some cashews and you will be making a more authentic dish! Buying cashew butter is just a time saver.

Thighs are used instead of breasts because they have fat and therefore the meat stays moist. Chicken breast tends to dry out, even in stew like preparations.

I added frozen peas. Very good!

Peanut is a stronger flavour than cashew, but 1tbsp is very low (my favourite lentil curry rainbowplantlife.com uses 3tbsp!). Almond is more mild than peanut but is blended with skins, which change the taste. You can buy blanched almond butter online (Biona organic - UK) However, good quality tahini (supposed to be smooth and velvety, not bitter) is a great substitute to cashew butter because sesame seeds are "skinless" like cashews and peanuts

I followed this recipe for the most part with the exception of reducing the meat just slightly and adding some green beans and chickpeas for more fiber. The brothy curry was incredibly rich and tasty. My 10-year-old ate every last bite. I might add more cashew butter next time.

Chicken thighs have darker meat and more fat, thus more flavor. Thighs are also significantly harder to over-cook than chicken breast. Most chefs do not prefer breast meat, thighs are better for most recipes.

I made this last night and my husband and two adult sons raved. The depth of flavor was astonishingly good. I did sub sweet potatoes as that is what I had on hand. The braising liquid was a bit soupy for my taste so I fished out the chicken and potatoes and reduced it a bit. That also intensified the flavor. I used homemade chicken stock as well. That makes a difference. Don’t skip the squeeze of lemon at the end. Really good. Will go on regular rotation.

When I added the stock it made the dish watery, I compensated by simmering longer with the lid off. Next time I will add a little at a time.

Full disclosure, I haven't cooked this, but I've made chicken curry with potatoes forever. My preference is: powdered spices right after the onion-ginger-garlic is done but before the chicken. Stir fast so it roasts but does not burn, take off the flame briefly if necessary. If the chicken goes in first you never quite get rid of the liquid and then the spices taste cooked but not roasted. The dish may lack depth of flavor in this case.

Is there a substitute for the cashew butter?

The squeeze of lemon when serving is perfect and brightens it up. Yum.