Butter Chicken

This recipe comes from Janet and Greta Podleski, cookbook authors of Eat, Shrink and Be Merry who are famous for re-creating good recipes with less fat. Don't be fooled by the name of this dish, there is very little butter in the recipe. I made it for the first time tonight and it was delicious!

Ingredients:

2 Tb. butter

1 cup chopped onions

2 tsp. minced garlic

1 Tb. grated gingerroot

1 tsp. chili powder

1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon

1 can (19oz./540ml) diced tomatoes, undrained

2 Tb. tomato paste

1 Tb. brown sugar

1/2 tsp. salt

1/4 tsp. freshly ground pepper

1 whole cooked rotisserie chicken, skin removed and meat cut up

1/3 cup light (5%) cream

1/4 cup light sour cream or plain yogurt

1 Tb. minced fresh cilantro (optional)

Hot, cooked basmati rice (optional)

Before I got started with the recipe, I prepared the rotisserie chicken by taking the skin off and separating the meat from the bones. The authors suggest not making the chicken pieces too small as they may not look as appetizing.

What to do with the bones? My husband always makes chicken soup with the carcass from the rotisserie chicken and it is a great idea.

Into my slow cooker I added the bones, water, carrots, onions, a bay leaf, salt and pepper. If you have it, you can add celery, garlic, etc. This can be used for soup or stock the next day.

I decided to make quinoa instead of rice and used my rice cooker, which worked out really well.

Melt 2 Tb. butter in a deep, 10-inch skillet over medium heat. Add 1 cup onions and 2 tsp. garlic. Cook slowly, stirring often, until onions are tender, about 5 minutes.

You can grate your own ginger or by it minced in a jar, which I find far more practical.

Add 1 Tb. grated gingerroot, 1 tsp. chili powder, 1/2 tsp. tumeric and 1/4 tsp. cinnamon.

Cook 1 more minute. I have to say that the smell at this point is so good!

Add undrained tomatoes (19oz.), tomato paste (2 Tb.), brown sugar (1 Tb.), salt (1/2 tsp.) and pepper (1/4 tsp.).

Reduce heat to low

Cover and simmer for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Add cut up chicken, cream (1/3 cup) and sour cream (1/4 cup).

Simmer, uncovered for 5 more minutes. Remove from heat and stir in cilantro (if desired).

Cooked Quinoa

Serve over hot basmati rice or quinoa.

Makes 5 servings

Per serving:

Calories: 293

Total fat: 11.9 g.

Fiber 2.9 g.

Carbohydrate: 15 g

(I don't think this includes the rice or quinoa.)