Karin's Week Twenty-Nine Recipe: Chicken in Peanut Sauce

I had some chicken breasts that were needing to be used up, and thought, why not try a new Indian recipe? I had all the ingredients for this recipe from Six Spices: A simple concept of Indian cooking, and it looked pretty tasty and quick to make.

Chicken in Peanut Sauce

2 tsp coriander powder
1/2 tsp turmeric powder
1/2 tsp red chili powder
3/4 c water, divided
4 T oil
1 large onion, chopped very fine
2 lb boneless, skinless chicken thighs or breasts, cut into bite-sized chunks
1 tsp salt
1 T lemon juice
2 tsp brown sugar
4 T crushed peanuts

In a small bowl, mix coriander, turmeric, and chili powders with 1/4 c of the water to make a paste. Set aside. In a nonstick frying pan, heat oil. When oil is hot, add chopped onions and saute until onions become soft and translucent.

Add spice paste. Reduce heat to medium and continue to cook, adding a tablespoon of 1/4 c of water at a time until you reach a 1/4 cup added.  Add chicken; stir to coat pieces with the spices. Cook for 2-3 minutes.

Add salt and cook for another 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add lemon juice and the remaining 1/4 cup of water. Add brown sugar and peanuts. Cook for another 5-10 minutes. Serve with boiled rice.

Although this recipe had ingredients that looked good, the recipe itself was really bland. Even for me. It really didn't taste like much of anything. I thought it might get better if I let it sit in the fridge overnight, but nope, still bland. Both Nate and I were rather disappointed, and agreed to continue the quest for a better, more flavorful recipe for Peanut Sauce.