Curried Chicken

The name has been changed

I wasn’t surprised to find a card for this dish in my grandma’s box. In the olden days, this mildly sweet and spicy entree was a staple in our house and one of my favorite main dishes.  However, the name I always knew it by was not Sunday Chicken.     

I don’t know when or why Grandma changed the title. Maybe she did it because a roast was our usual Sunday meal, and this dish made its appearance during the week. Whatever the reason, the card below shows that it was indeed Grandma who switched the name to Curried Chicken. This card came from a recipe box she gave me for Christmas when I was a teen.

Evolution happens

This recipe has evolved in other ways too. For years, I’ve been doing a stovetop version, where I make the sauce as written, then add cooked chicken and simmer until it’s thickened. For this test, I decided to return to the original method and bake the chicken as directed. I needed a reminder of what the olden days tasted like.  

I soon realized that sometimes those good old days are long gone. There were no packages of mixed chicken pieces at my nearest grocery store. They were either all thighs or all legs, and the breasts were boneless and skinless. I grabbed a package of breasts because I’d rather not have to skin chicken if I can help it. 

How to make Curried Chicken

You begin this sauce by finely chopping or coarsely grating an apple. I usually chop but couldn't pass up the chance to use my nifty grater again. 

You do the same with an onion, then saute them together in butter until the onion is clear. When I add the curry powder, I always take a minute to saute the spice with the apple and onion before adding the rest of the ingredients. 

The recipe calls for Cream of Mushroom soup, but I have mushroom haters in my family, so I use Cream of Chicken, which works just as well. After adding the evaporated milk, bring the mixture to a simmer. 

So far, this process is the same for both the stovetop and the baked versions. At this point, I usually add some cooked chicken to the skillet and let the mixture simmer for 10-15 minutes. This time, however, I poured the sauce over the uncooked chicken pieces laid out in the baking dish.

 I covered the dish with foil (not specified in the recipe–that was just my best guess) and baked it for one hour, which probably would have been perfect for bone-in chicken, but for boneless, it was a bit too long. Next time, I’ll start checking the temperature of the chicken for doneness at 45 minutes. 

It came out golden and bubbling. I chose a piece of chicken and spooned some sauce over the rice, remembering as I did that the sauce in the baked version is thin because of the additional juices from the chicken. It did need a shake of salt and pepper because I hadn't added any yet. The result was a walk down memory lane--a mellow curry that's easy on the tongue. 

The verdict

Since this recipe is already in my digital box, the real question is, will I make the baked version again? The answer--yes, I believe I will. I might alternate between the two, depending on what I have on hand. Either way and no matter what you call it, this dish remains one of my favorite things to eat. If I were to have to choose a final meal, I might request Grandma’s Curried Chicken. The nostalgia factor is high, and the taste is worthy of being the last thing I ever eat. 

To try this dish out for yourself, click on the link below the recipe card and print it out. You will be happy you did.