Food Cart Curry Chicken

I recently rediscovered Ruth Reichl. I actually wrote my senior thesis about two of her books and I can't believe I haven't kept up with her all these years. One of her new books, My Kitchen Year, had so many amazing recipes that Steve joked I'd tagged all of them. This one for Food Cart Curry Chicken was one of the first that I made (after her insane challah French toast).



The first time I made this we felt it needed a little something so the second time I added garam masala. I find it hard to believe that one spice made all the difference but HOLY HELL was it good the second time around. I doubled the original recipe and didn't want to share the leftovers.

The combination of the tangy sweet white sauce, hot sauce and a simple salad of romaine, shredded carrot and tomatoes works so well together. This will be a staple in our house for years to come.

Food Cart Curry Chicken
Slightly modified from Ruth Reichl

2 1/2 lbs boneless, skinless chicken thighs, cut into bite-size pieces
1 onion, cut into thin slices
6 tablespoons olive oil
3 tablespoons lemon juice
4 garlic cloves, minced
2 tablespoons curry powder
2 teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon pepper
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon garam masala
1/2 teaspoon ground coriander
1/2 teaspoon paprika

Food Cart White Sauce
1/2 cup mayonnaise
1/2 cup Greek yogurt
1/2 teaspoon sugar
splash of white wine vinegar

To serve: white rice, white sauce, hot sauce, shredded romaine, shredded carrot and diced tomato

Add the cut up chicken and sliced onions to a plastic food storage bag.

Mix the olive oil, lemon juice, garlic, curry powder, salt, pepper, oregano, cumin, garam masala, coriander and paprika in a small bowl until well combined and then pour over the chicken and onions. Seal the bag and squish it around so the onions and chicken are thoroughly coated. Marinate in the refrigerator overnight.

The next day, heat a light oil (canola, vegetable, etc.) in a heavy pan or a wok over medium-high heat. Add the onions and chicken in a single layer and cook, undisturbed, for about five minutes. After that, stir until the chicken is cooked through and the onions are soft.

Serve the chicken over white rice with the white sauce, hot sauce and the side salad all in the same bowl.