E-Z Chicken Curry

Hiding away in a secret little corner of the Recipe Book was Josh's Aunt Margo's 'E-Z Chicken Curry' submission. I don't know why I almost missed it, but I very nearly did, so let's all just say thanks I found it.

I have met Margo twice so far - once at my wedding and then again last month at her daughter, Josh's cousin Mya's, wedding in Washington state. Mya is a firefighter, a bad ass, and generally an awesome addition to the family I got as a result of marrying Josh. And I was overtly psyched to get to go to her wedding to her girlfriend Kalin. I spent the better part of my time talking to her trying to convince her that she should could stay with us if only she came down and help out the next time LA has its seasonal fires. I'm not sure she was biting.

Anyhow, Josh's Aunt Margo and her husband John live in New Mexico, so she gifted us with appropriately southwest-y recipes (her other recipe was for Green Chile Quiche). Margo is very sweet and bubbly, and has now infected me with, amongst other things, the need to call Josh's dad 'Baby Stewie,' as she proclaimed him every time she told stories about their childhood.

Josh and I rode our bikes to the grocery store to give my awesome new birthday bike and its awesomer new basket a spin around the block. Unfortunately, we spazzed out at the grocery and accidentally bought cream of mushroom soup which was hiding in the cream of chicken soup row, but it did get to ride home in style in a new zebra-lined bike basket. Plus, cream of chicken, cream of mushroom, who's counting?

Jealous? I would be. This bike is phat.

Her E-Z Chicken Curry was, as sold, easy to make. Once again the cooking was uneventful and the sum total of the meal came out just fine, thank you very much. Sure it looks like baby poo sludge, but that's the price you pay for cooking with curry. Speaking of curry, I went light on it (opting for 1 tbsp instead of 2), but I would recommend not doing that unless you are of the most sensitive of stomachs; it could have withstood more curry flavor for sure. Mostly, it's just nice that it's getting cooler out again as befits these cold weather recipes.

Admit it: this raisin & peanut garnish looks fancy

Margo's Truly E-Z Chicken Curry

1 cup cooked chopped chicken
3 chopped green onions
1/2 chopped apple
1 can cream of chicken soup (or, you know, mushroom. whoops.)
1/2 can milk
1-2 tbsp curry powder (2! use 2!)
cooked rice
raisins
peanuts

Look over ingredients list and realize that before anything else, you have to A. make the rice and B. make the chicken. Choose the white arborio rice from the back of the cabinet because it A. takes less time than the brown rice and B. does not have any moths.

Put breasts of chicken in some olive oil on frying pan and brown. Enjoy using the kitchen scissors from your knife block to cut cooked chicken into appropriately bite-sized pieces, pretending to be the hard-working waitresses from Korean BBQ who do that with the beef on the bones. Then put chicken aside in bowl under tin foil.

Chop up scallions and apple, opting for a whole apple in lieu of a half one because A. it is a small apple and B. you love apples, so why not?

Saute onions and apple in a little butter - about 2 tbsp - until soft. Wonder, while you're doing this, if olive oil might be better. Know, after all the comments you got from last week's brownies that as long as it's not I Can't Believe It's Not Butter, it's probably fine.

Realize you bought cream of mushroom instead of cream of chicken. Decide it's close enough.

Add the chicken, soup, milk and curry powder. Stir well. Heat until hot and bubbly. Serve over rice. Top with raisins and peanuts. Eat. The end.

Margo notes: I got this recipe out of the newspaper in 1965 when (first husband) Rick and I were first married. It was a good budget stretcher!

Heather notes: 2 tbsps of curry, not one, for sure. Also, cream of mushroom soup does appear to be an acceptable cream of chicken substitute. Amaaazing.