Good morning to you, and a very happy Monday too: we have a super easy chicken recipe here today and of course, an Indian pickle recipe too- one which is slathered with lemony, sweet goodness- carefully curated from a friend’s mother. Because in this household chicken doesn’t go down well alone, I’ve paired the dish with some dump-and-go, easy roasted vegetables, about which I will talk too if you are interested.

Honestly, I don’t think anyone will be remotely interested to know about roasting vegetables here: given the stats- i know who you are and from where you are- most of you are pretty awesome cooks with fabulous recipes of your own to brag about. And yet, there are those like me who often wrack the internet’s brain to learn something as simple as how to roast vegetables. So, yeah, I’ll talk about it anyway, connoisseurs of roasting, you be skipping that part aite?

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You know, I love a simple chicken recipe or two. I love easy recipes, things that do not require too much dabbling  and yet comes out fantastic. If fancy takes me, well, that’s another me we are talking about! But mostly, I am the let’s-keep-simple kinda girl who would watch a movie while cooking or sip her beer. Fool’s recipes, know what I mean? This chicken has to be one of the simplest you have ever cooked and you cannot tell by the complexity of taste it will offer. Had I given you a lovely chicken breast piece marinated in this concoction with a fine white wine, in an equally fiiiinneee {include southern drawl} restro, you’d be talking all about it. But in this part of the hemisphere, truth prevails and we don’t glorify things too much 😉 {Like I haven’t already. I’m funny} But believe me you, it’ll get you by the tastebuds. Believe me you. And what do you do for that? Nothing!

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Tender juicy chicken melts in your mouth. The savory blends perfectly with the tang and the sweetness from the sweet lemon pickle. Men who are known to be picky with food goes insane. You’d want this chicken recipe. But before that I’ll need to tell you a little about India and Pickle, let alone pickles, moms and India- together- which is a very, very touchy issue.

To Indians nothing says ‘home’ as homemade pickle. From hampi to haryana, pickle is likely to be a part of your breakfast, lunch and dinner and I am sure pickles have been a part of all of our earliest food memories. Whether its jazzing up dal and rice or some added tang to the boring curd rice: pickles have been quintessential to Indian meals and why not when it tastes so good. I’ll go as far as to say that most Indian meals are not complete without a smidgen of pickle and in many households pickle making forms an annual ritual that is treated with ceremony it deserves. Coming back to moms and pickles, well- that’s now pure nostalgia. Nimboo pani and pickles are the ad makers favorite subjects to emotionally exploit- it’s that important to us.

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When ankur {the friend who got me the pickle and who’s mom ever so kindly shared the recipe to the T, without hiding half of it, like my sister} told me about this particular lemon pickle that his mom was making in gallons, I couldn’t help but shamelessly ask for it. And boy, did it blow my mind. It’s a taste booster more than a pickle. Sweet, tart and so packed with flavor: I could really think chicken + this or Basa + this instantly. The only thing missing in my life is a smoke machine. With that I could have won worlds with this tangy chicken recipe. But don’t let my words lesen your interest on the pickle for its equally good to eat on its own.

Here’s the pickle recipe. I forgot to ask for the measures but I think this will work.

Sweet lemon Pickle Recipe Ingredients

500 grams lemons
100 gms salt
1 tsp ajwain
2 cups sugar
1/2 cups grated jaggery (gur)
1 tbsp chilli powder

How to make Indian Sweet Lemon Pickle

Wash the lemons and wipe them dry using a dry cloth. Squeeze out the juices of about 6 lemons and save the rind. Cut the remaining lemons and lemon skins into quarters. In a sterilised glass keep all of it and top it with lemon juice, salt, sugar. Make sure the jar is tightly packed with lemons. Secure with a lid and keep it under the sun for 10-15 days. Toss the contents occasionaly. After 15 days, add jaggery and ajwain. Leave it for another 10. After 10 days, add chili powder and store for upto 1 year!

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And now, on to the chicken recipe.

Ingredients for Pan Fried chicken

500 grams chicken

4 large tbsp pickle juice

4 large garlic cloves

1 tbsp pepper

Salt to taste

Spring onions cut in halves

1tbsp oil

How to make 

pound/blitz together 4 large garlic cloves, 1 teaspoon pepper {please use freshly ground and not powdered} salt and juice from the lemon pickle. Divide it in 2 halves. Make slits in chicken {(500) gram} and marinate it with one half. The other half you’ll drizzle over the chicken when its in the pan. Pour oil in the pan and let it smoke.

Turn down the heat, add spring onions and chicken. Take a perforated lid and cook lid on for about 5 minutes. We don’t want too much steam and liquid, so perforated. Check after 5 minutes to see if its done. Now there are two ways to check: 1. poke a knife and see. 2. give it a light stir. If the chicken releases easily from the pan, the side is done. If it doesn’t, it needs time. proteins will only leave the pan once they are completely cooked. When done, you should see a deep, dark, beautiful golden colour. 

 

Toss them once, add remaining liquid and cook for another 5. Now, from here you can take 2 routes:

1. Cook for another 5 in the pan, on the gas lid on, low heat. This will prevent the moisture from escaping. If you cook without a lid, you’ll end up with a very dry chicken.

2. Transfer the chicken on a rack, cover with foil and cook it in the oven for 5-10 minutes in 180. Spray some water on them before covering, so they are moist. This is what  I did.

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For the roasted veggies:

Veggies of your choice, rosemary- 1tsp, thyme- 1tsp, 2 tsp oil, salt and pepper to taste. You can keep whole or cut them as you like, its upto you.

I took pumpkins, beans, carrots, small potatoes with jacket, eggplant and beetroot. Wash well, add all the ingredients mentioned above. Put in a roasting pan and forget about it in the oven (180) for half an hour. It’ll be just as delicious if you watched over it like a hawk 😉

That’s it from me ladies and gentlemen on a monday morning! I hope it zests up your life too, win you a few accolades and makes your life simple.

Toodles XO

 

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