Blackened Chicken

I have joined a group called Chef at Large which has several amazing cooks with blogs of their own on it. This recipe I learnt from one of the members of the group Ruchi Airen.This is apparently her mother's recipe. You can find her recipe here.The beauty of this recipe is it's simplicity! I have neither the time nor the patience for recipes with a long list of ingredients,lengthy procedures and several pots and pans. I leave those to people with the inclination and time on their hands. This recipe was quick and easy to make with only 2 pots to wash! The aroma was enticing, and the taste absolutely delicious! You will definitely reach for second helpings!

The original recipe called for chicken drumsticks, I have used boneless chicken breast.

Servings: 4

Ingredients:

Chicken boneless breast cut into medium-small bite sized pieces : 1 lb.
Chili powder ( cayenne pepper): 1 tsp
Garam masala: 2 tsp
Ginger garlic paste: 1 tbsp
Soya sauce : 1 1/2 tbsp
Vinegar: 1 1/2 tbsp
Olive oil : 1 tsp
Salt to taste

Method:

Marinate cleaned  chicken with all the above ingredients except oil. Keep it covered in the refrigerator for at least 30 mins.

 Heat oil in a walk on medium-high flame. Add the marinated chicken and sauté till the chicken looks a little fried and the water has almost reduced. Reduce the flame to low, cover and cook for 5-8 mins. Open and sauté again on high flame until all water has evaporated . Make sure that the chicken has cooked through and through.

Garnish with onion rings and serve hot. Can be served with rice and dal/ rasam  as a side dish or  alone as an appetizer!

Cooking made easy:

• When you bring chicken home from the store, try to immediately clean and marinate the chicken before putting it in the freezer.
• Use a basic marinade of salt, pepper and lemon juice. Freeze them in small airtight containers or freezer bags in small portions.
• This way you can defrost just enough portion and make chicken anytime you wish without having to spend extra time on cleaning, marinating etc.
• Depending on the dish you are making you can add the additional marination ingredients and leave it for 10-15 mins.
• Chicken tastes better and is tender when marinated well
• You can do the same thing with fish too.

Tip for healthy living:

Try to use only organic chicken or cage-free hens without antibiotics. While organic chicken can be expensive there are also options of chicken whose sellers clearly state that no antibiotics have been fed to them. The examples I have are Perdue and Fairway brand. I have tried both of them. I must say I like the Fairway brand better.

Why must we use organic or antibiotic-free chicken? Because those chemicals/medications will enter our body and affect the functioning of our body. Think of what it might do to our growing children! 

Food for thought:

Every bit matters ( source: unknown).