Quick & Easy - Chicken in Yogurt n Garlic gravy

About the recipe:

Spicy meat dishes sure makes us all go weak on our knees! But tummy tantrums post such a gastronomic experience is not unheard of. Once in a while on a sultry summer noon; all you yearn for is a smooth and light meaty dish that leaves behind a lingering taste in your mouth. Some preparation that will go easy on your schedule and stomach in the same breath. Here is one such. Bon appetit !!!

Serves: 4-5
Cooking time: 30 mins
Preparation time: 1 hr (time to marinate)

Ingredients:

1. Chicken - De-skinned, cleaned & cut - 1 kg

2. Onion - big - 2 Nos.

3. Garlic paste - 2 tbsp

4. Ginger paste - 1tsp

4. Freshly ground black pepper - 3 tbsps

5. Plain yogurt or dahi - 250 gms

6. Refined vegetable oil - 2 tbsps

7. salt - 2 tbsps or as per taste

8. Whole cinnamon stick / dalchini - 1 and 1/2 inch sticks

9. Butter - 2 tbsps

10. Sugar - 1 tsp

11. Bay leaves or tej patta - big 2nos.

12. Crushed Kasoori methi leaves - 1 tsp

Methodology:

1. Beat the yogurt well with 1 tsp salt & 1 tbsp garlic paste.

2. Make cuts on the chicken pieces with a knife and marinate them in the beaten yogurt and keep aside for 1 hr.

3. Cut the onions into thin rings.

3. Heat 1 tbsp oil in a kadhai or wok. Fry the onions in it till it turns translucent pink and keep them aside on paper napkins to drain out excess oil.

4. Add remaining oil to kadhai and heat.Temper with bay leaves, dalchini, ginger paste and remaining garlic paste.

5. Toss the masala well till the oil separates. Add the marinated chicken pieces and stir fry for 10 mins.

6. Add the remaining marinate - stock, black pepper powder and fried onions; mix well and cover with a lid. Let it cook for 10 mins. 

Keep checking to ensure that the contents do not stick to the bottom.

7. After the chicken is cooked; switch off the flame and garnish with butter.

    Sprinkle kasoori methi and cover.

8. Serve it with hot steamed rice or naan/ parathas. 

    My son loves it with noodles as well :-)

Tips:

1. Yogurt should preferably be slightly sour.

2. Keep the marinated chicken in refrigerator for the flavors to seep in intensely.

3. You may skip butter if you are abstaining from calories. However,  trust me that 'hint of' butter won't harm you ;-)