This is my favorite way to cook chicken. It started off as an Afghan recipe called Kebabeh Degee Morgh, which raises the chicken in a tomato and yogurt blend with a mix of middle eastern and Indian spices.
This is not that recipe. You can find that recipe in Parwana. This is what happens when, bit by bit, my Spanish and Southwestern influences gradually take over the show and combine with millenial instincts to turn everything into a bowl.
Ingredients
- 1-2 lb chicken breast or thighs. This is moist enough to do either.
- 1 can diced tomatoes, ideally fire roasted. But you can probably roast and blender real tomatoes if you want to show off.
- 2 spoonfuls greek yogurt
- Vegetable oil
- Masa harina (optional, to thicken)
- Smoked paprika, other chili peppers (optional but always welcome)
- Cumin, coriander
- Oregano
- Garlic powder
- Salt, optional black pepper
The spice profile is maleable. I would say the only thing that’s “required” is the world’s best paprika.
Steps
- Heat oil in a dutch oven
- Chicken can either be cubed into kebab sizes or shredded at the end. If you’re cubing, do that now.
- Sear chicken 5m each side, brown lightly. This is a braised dish, don’t even think about overcooking it this early.
- Add diced tomatoes, yogurt, spices, stir together into a sauce that mostly covers the chicken
- Braise on low 20m
- Check temp with your meat thermometer. If you’re doing shredding, 145-150°F is a fine time to pull everything apart. Let braise until done.
- Remove chicken from sauce and cover to keep warm
- Reduce the sauce. Crank the heat, add a spoonful of masa as a thickener, let it bubble for one minute or so before shutting it off. Remember masa only takes effect when the liquid isn’t boiling anymore.
Serve with over yellow rice and roasted vegetables straight out of the oven.
We’ll cover those in another post.