Sweet Potato Chicken Curry

Rob and don't usually have time to cook elaborate meals, but every now and then we find a recipe to add to our favorites collection. This recipe for Sweet Potato Curry was in this month's issue of Cooking Light, and it is super delicious! Interestingly, the recipe was sent in by a woman who also went to UW-Madison, and was inspired to create this dish based on one that she had eaten as a college student at a place she described as a "hole-in-the-wall Nepalese restaurant" (Himal Chuli? They never had anything this good.) We have made this 3 times now, and I'm making it again tomorrow. Here is the recipe:

2 Teaspoons Curry Powder (we use Hot Curry Powder from Penzeys)
1 Teaspoon ground coriander
1 Teaspoon ground tumeric
1/2 Teaspoon salt
1/2 Teaspoon black pepper
1/4 Teaspoon ground red pepper (or just use Hot curry pwder)
1 Bay Leaf
1 1/2 Teaspoons olive oil
1 1/2 lbs skinless, boneless chicken breast, cut into 1-inch pieces (or omit this if feeding a vegetarian)
1 1/2 cups vertically sliced onion
1 1/2 Teaspoons minced peeled fresh ginger
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 (14-ounce) can fat-free chicken broth (or vegetable broth if your vegan sister is coming to town)
1 (14.5-ounce) can diced tomatoes, undrained
2 cups (1/2 inch) cubed peeled sweet potatao
3/4 cup drained and rinsed chickpeas
1/2 cup frozen green peas (we have skipped this everytime, but it would probably be good with)
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice

1. Combine curry powder, coriander, turmeric, salt, pepper, and bay leaf in small bowl.
2. Heat oil in a large dutch oven over medium high heat. Add chicken to pan; saute 5 minutes or until browned, stirring occasionally. Remove chicken from pan. Reduce heat to medium. Add onion to pan; cook 10 minutes or until tender, stirring frequently. Increase heat to medium high; return chicken to pan. Cook 1 minute, stirring occasionally. Stir in ginger and garlic; cook 1 minute, stirring constantly. Add curry powder mixture; cook 2 minutes, stirring constantly . Add broth, tomatoes and potato and bring to a boil (*note- the recipe says to leave out the sweet potato until the last 1/2 hr, but we found that doing this makes them hard and not fully cooked). Cover, reduce heat, and simmer 1 hr. Stir in chickpeas. Cook, uncovered, 30 minutes. Add peas; cook 5 minutes or until thoroughly heated. Remove from heat; stir in lemon juice. Discard bayleaf. Yield: 7 serving (serving size 1 cup). Serve over Basmati rice.

                                                                         

Yes, cooking this will make your whole house smell like a cheap apartment in Brooklyn, but it is totally worth it. Enjoy!