Mango Chicken Curry

I've recently discovered the amazingness that is curry and a few months ago tried my hand at making it for the very first time. I've now made this Mango Chicken Curry recipe several times and I have to say, I'm getting pretty darn good at it.

It's kind of a labor of love, but totally worth the work.

Here are a few tips from my kitchen:
I cube and pre-sear the chicken before adding it into the sauce to ensure that it is fully cooked and to help lock in the moisture. I also skip the cilantro (Kevin's not a huge fan), add cayenne powder to increase the heat and use coconut milk rather than heavy cream. Lastly, I serve the curry over basmati rice with slivered almonds to add a bit of a crunch. Don't skip the golden raisins! They add just the right amount of sweet to this spicy (in my kitchen) and savory dish!

• 3 Tbsp (or more) of vegetable oil
• 1 large onion, chopped (1 1/2 to 2 cups)
• 1/2 red bell pepper, chopped
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 2 Tbsp fresh minced ginger
• 2 Tbsp yellow curry powder
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
• (optional 1 Tbsp of cayenne powder for heat or to taste)
• 2 mangos, peeled and diced
• 2 Tbsp cider vinegar or white vinegar
• 1 1/4 cup water
• 1 1/4 pounds skinless boneless chicken thighs or breasts, cut into 1-inch pieces
• 1/3 cup golden raisins
• 1/2 cup heavy cream (can substitute all or partially with coconut milk)
• Salt and pepper
• Cilantro for garnish

 1 Heat 2 Tbsp oil in a large sauté pan over medium heat. Add onions and cook, stirring occasionally, until soft, about 5 minutes. Add the red bell pepper and another tablespoon of oil, cook for a couple more minutes. Add the curry powder and cumin (and optional cayenne powder), cook for a few more minutes. The spices will absorb some of the oil, so if anything begins to stick too much to the bottom of the pan, add a little more oil to the pan. Add the ginger and garlic, cook for one minute more.

 
2 Add the vinegar, water, and a 1/2 of the chopped mango to the pan. Increase the heat and bring to a boil, then lower the heat to maintain a low simmer for about 15 minutes, stirring occasionally. Remove pan from heat. Scoop the sauce into a blender (or use an immersion blender). Purée the sauce, pulsing until smooth. Return the sauce to the pan.

 3 Add chicken pieces and raisins to the pan. Return to a low simmer. Cover the pan and let cook for 8-10 minutes. Chicken should be just cooked through. Use a knife to cut open the largest piece to check.
    
4 Add remaining mango pieces to the pan. Stir in the cream or coconut milk. Let cook at a very low temperature for another minute or two, uncovered. Do not let boil! Or the cream may curdle. Adjust seasonings. If a little too sweet, add a little more vinegar. If not sweet enough, you can add a dash of sugar. Add salt and pepper to taste.

Serve over rice. Garnish with cilantro. Serves 4.

(Note: The last time I made this, I added chopped fingerling potatoes which added another texture and buttery flavor to the curry. If you do this, either par cook the potatoes before adding them to the sauce, or be prepared to let it simmer for about 15-20 until the potatoes cook through.)

 

Mmmmmmm, my mouth is watering just thinking about this one again, enjoy!