Tangy Chicken and Vegetable Stew

Name: Tangy Chicken and Vegetable Stew
Yield: 4 servings
Ingredients: 2 tbsp (30 mL) olive oil; 1 onion chopped; 2 cloves garlic minced; 1 tbsp (15 mL) minced gingerroot; 1 tbsp (15 mL) curry powder; 1 tsp (5 mL) salt; 1/4 tsp (1 mL) each freshly ground pepper and ground cinnamon; 2 lbs (1 Kg) skinless chicken thighs (about 8); 1/2 tsp (2 mL) grated lemon rind; 2 tbsp (30 mL) lemon juice; 1/4 cup (60 mL) all-purpose flour; 1 1/2 cups (375 mL) Milk; 1/2 cup (125 mL) chicken stock; 2 cups (500 mL) chopped carrots or peeled sweet potatoes; 2 small tart apples chopped; Chopped fresh parsley

This recipe is taken from the 2004 Milk Calendar. Chicken thighs simmer to moist tenderness quickly in this weeknight stew, fragrant with wonderful warm spices and tangy lemon and apple.
-Christine Cushing

Prep: 10 min
Cooking: 40 min

Yields 4 servings

Ingredients

2 tbsp (30 mL) olive oil
1 onion chopped
2 cloves garlic minced
1 tbsp (15 mL) minced gingerroot
1 tbsp (15 mL) curry powder
1 tsp (5 mL) salt
1/4 tsp (1 mL) each freshly ground pepper and ground cinnamon
2 lbs (1 Kg) skinless chicken thighs (about 8)
1/2 tsp (2 mL) grated lemon rind
2 tbsp (30 mL) lemon juice
1/4 cup (60 mL) all-purpose flour
1 1/2 cups (375 mL) Milk
1/2 cup (125 mL) chicken stock
2 cups (500 mL) chopped carrots or peeled sweet potatoes
2 small tart apples chopped
Chopped fresh parsley

READY FOR REWARDS?

Preparation

In large non-stick skillet, heat half of oil over medium-high heat. Cook onion, stirring, for 2 min. Add garlic, ginger, curry powder, salt, pepper and cinnamon; cook, stirring, for 2 min or until onion is softened. Add chicken thighs; brown for 5 min on each side, adding more oil as necessary to prevent burning.

Reduce heat to medium; stir lemon rind and juice into pan. Cook, stirring and scraping up any brown bits, until juice is evaporated. Whisk flour into milk and gradually stir into pan with chicken stock and carrots. Bring to a simmer, stirring constantly. Reduce heat to medium-low; cover and simmer for 20 min, stirring occasionally, or until chicken is no longer pink inside and carrots are tender.

Stir in apples; cook, uncovered, for about 5 min or until heated through and stew is thickened. Sprinkle with chopped parsley.

Tips

For the Adventurous: For a more exotic flavour, replace curry powder with Thai red curry paste. Replace lemon rind with 1 stalk of lemongrass, chopped; use dry white wine in place of lemon juice and add 1/2 cup (125 mL) dry red lentils with carrots. Serve sprinkled with chopped green olives.