Recipe for Chicken Vindaloo

Indian dishes are something we really enjoy eating.  How about you?  I've been trying to cook more Indian recipes at home and with that in mind, I bought some Vindaloo Spice Mix at Penzey's when I was at their retail location in Menlo Park last month.


This probably wouldn't be considered a traditional dish which most references say includes potatoes, not beans or tomatoes, but I wanted a one-pot dish, didn't want potatoes, and had green beans to use.  I used the directions on the Penzey's package for general guidance and then went my own way!


If you want to mix your own spice from scratch, here is an ingredient list I found on e-How.  In Penzey's mix: coriander, garlic, cumin, ginger, cinnamon, mustard, cayenne pepper, jalapeno, cardamom, turmeric, black pepper, cloves.

Time: 50 minutes

Yield: 4 servings

Ingredients:

• 2 TBSP canola oil, divided
• 2 cups chopped onion
• 1 ½ lbs. boneless, skinless chicken thighs, trimmed of visible fat
• 2 TBSP vindaloo spice mix (I used Penzy’s)
• 3 TBSP water
• 2 cups fresh green beans, chopped to bite size
• 28 oz can crushed tomatoes
• ¼ cup vinegar
• 1 TBSP ground cinnamon (optional)
• Salt and pepper
• Dollop of plain non-fat Greek yogurt or sour cream (optional)

Method:

• Season chicken with salt and pepper and brown in 1 TBSP oil. Remove from pan.
• Brown onion in remaining oil.
• Mix vindaloo spice mix and water.
• Add chicken, tomatoes, vinegar, cinnamon, green beans and spice paste to onions.
• Simmer on medium for 30 minutes or until green beans are tender but still slightly crunchy.
• Serve over brown basmati rice (with yogurt or sour cream if desired).

We loved this.  For me, it bordered on my threshold of how much heat I can tolerate and that's why I added the extra cinnamon and served it with a dollop of plain Greek yogurt.  Together, these moderated the heat to an enjoyable level for me.  (I am, however, a bit of a weenie when it comes to spicy heat.) 

I wouldn't hesitate to make it again or use the spices in another recipe.  BTW, Penzy's is not sponsoring this post.

What ethnic dishes are you cooking at home?

Printable Recipe