Packet Meals - Spice Tailor Butter Chicken

Butter Chicken

I was looking for something simple, quick, and easy, and had some chicken at home in the freezer. I also didn't feel like any of the packets in my stock so was browsing the aisles at the supermarket and found the range of The Spice Tailor packets all marked down to half price. (You'll find them in the Indian section of the Asian aisle/shelves at Woolworths)

The packet suggests you use 250 grams of Chicken (or pork, seafood, duck, paneer, mushrooms...) and 1 teaspoon of oil. You all know me well enough by now that there was no way I'd be sticking to such a plain arrangement, so I also added in some Fennel, Mushrooms, and Capsicum, and I'm pretty sure I had more chicken than 250 grams too, because that's what I had.

^{I think I used just the 2 outer layers of the fennel, 1 cheek of the capsicum, and a few mushrooms}

Now, this packet comes in a few packets. 1 with some spices in it (that were pre-ground, and a dried chili), 1 that contained the base sauce, and another that contained the main sauce. With my alterations I decided that I'd throw the finely sliced fennel and cubed capsicum in with the oil (well, I think I used some butter instead because it's so much better) and let them melt a bit for a while before I added the spices and the chicken. I figured the chicken would need more than the 1-2 minutes to brown that the packet suggests, and I was right.

^{This is after around 5 minutes or so. I didn't want the spices in for any longer before the base went in though}

Oh, the packet also says that if you don't like whole spices you could grind them in a mortar and pestle, but I thought that was odd since they were already ground in this dish (they might not be in others...) I added the base sauce and stirred it in. They said to 'simmer for 1-2 minutes', but that's a little difficult to do without an actual liquid in the pan asides from the chicken juices that had come free.

^{Oh, look at me adding an ingredient not showing in the picture above. There's a couple of packets of single serve frozen vegetables that I've nuked for half their time and then added to the pan (peas, beans, corn, broccoli)}

I like to add veggies to bulk things out, even something simple like butter chicken is nicer when it is stretched for other things as well. After I was happy enough with how well the chicken was now browned, and the base had had a few minutes to develop, I added in the largest packet (the main sauce). At this point, the packet instructs me to just simmer it for another 3-5 minutes, or until the meat is cooked through. I went with the latter instruction, so it was more like 8-10 minutes. Even so, this whole dish was only cooking for around 20 minutes. It took so little time that the rice which I'd put in the rice cooker before I started, wasn't finished when I turned off the gas.

^{Just what I was in the mood for. A not really runny sauce that thoroughly coated all the ingredients I'd cooked in it.}

If I'd stuck to the packet directions, I'm sure it would have been nice. I'm also certain it would have been a lot more saucy, and only served 2. As it was, it made 4 serves with rice, and was quite filling and really delicious. The heat imparted by the chili was not noticeable to me, so if you're a regular chili eater, you may wish to add a bit more during the cooking process, or some fresh on top at serving.

^{And this was what my meal looked like. For the next couple of days even.}

I quite enjoyed it, and will try some of the other options in this range when I see them on special and/or feel in the mood for Indian packet meals

Previous Packet Meals

Beef and Red Wine Casserole
Country Beef Casserole
Marinades Part 1
Creamy Herb and Garlic Potato Bake
Chicken Korma
Steak, Veggies and Diane Sauce
Farmhouse Chicken Casserole
Pasta Carbonara
Roast Chicken, Veggies and Gravy
Chicken and Mushroom Risotto

^{Upgoats made by the talented @ryivhnn}