One Pot | RecipeTin Eats

One-pan Baked Butter Chicken

Nagi — Mon, 06 Nov 2023 05:00:11 +0000

This is a streamlined version of everybody’s favourite butter chicken, designed to make right now! So easy it’s unbelievable – just put everything in a pan then pop it in the oven. All the flavour, with a fraction of the effort. This is a one-pot meal game-changer!

Dear readers – Before jumping into today’s recipe, just a quick thank you for all the lovely messages of support and congratulations on the new food bank kitchen for RecipeTin Meals. Today was the teams’ first day cooking in the new kitchen – all the space was a luxury! We are so excited about the possibilities, the ability to increase the number of meals we make and people we can help. Here are some snaps from today. – N x ❤️

Butter chicken – in just a few steps!

Butter Chicken has been one of my most popular recipes from the moment I published it. Readers tell me they love it because it tastes “totally legit” yet you can get everything from regular grocery stores and it’s very straight forward.

Well, your Butter Chicken loving life is about to get even better because here’s a one-pan baked version that’s even easier! It’s one of those “dump and bake” recipes. I hate that phrase because I feel like it undermines the recipe. But that’s exactly what this recipe is. You put everything in a baking dish – curry slathered chicken and the sauce – then you put it in the oven.

The end result tastes just as good as regular Butter Chicken. Some would say better, because whole chicken thighs are juicier than bite size pieces!

Before

After!

Ingredients in butter chicken

The ingredients in this one-pan baked version of Butter Chicken are the same as the original Butter Chicken, though quantities are different for a couple of items which is explained below.

CHICKEN AND MARINADE (BUT NO MARINATING REQUIRED!)

I will continue to call this the butter chicken marinade even though you don’t need to marinade for this baked version! Why? Because the chicken is baking in the sauce for 45 minutes during which time enough flavour infusion happens. But, you can marinade overnight if you’d like, to get even more flavour into the flesh!

Chicken – The best chicken to use for this one-pan baked version is bone-in chicken thighs. This is because they remain juicy for the 45 minute bake time required for the sauce to thicken and develop flavour. We remove the skin (it’s easy, just peel it off) to prevent the sauce from getting too greasy.
Other chicken options – Drumsticks (excellent), boneless thighs (not as good but will work), breast (bite size chunks, my least preferred). I’ve included directions for each of these in the recipe notes.
Yoghurt – This is what makes the spices stick to the surface of the chicken. Use any plain yogurt. Not sweetened and certainly not flavoured! Full fat is best, though low fat will work too.
Lemon juice – For a touch of tang. Apple cider vinegar will also work (or other mild clear vinegar – white wine vinegar etc).
Ginger and garlic – Fresh, finely grated so you don’t have lumps in the sauce. Using paste out of a jar is not the same – it’s sour and the flavour is nowhere near as good!
Chilli powder – Pure & spicy, not the US tex-mex chili blend. Else, use cayenne pepper. Butter chicken isn’t spicy, we only use 1/2 teaspoon for a fair amount of sauce. But if you’re concerned, leave it out.
Garam masala – An Indian curry spice mix widely available at regular grocery stores these days. Doesn’t cost any more than regular spices!
Other spices – Turmeric and cumin powder.
Salt – My original Butter Chicken recipe doesn’t need salt in the marinade because it’s seared then simmered in the sauce. Because we plonk-and-bake in this recipe, salt in the marinade is needed else the surface of the chicken is a bit bland.

Butter chicken CURRY sauce

Butter chicken curry sauce doesn’t call for many ingredients because the curry flavour comes from the chicken marinade.

Ghee is a type of clarified butter that is commonly used in Indian cooking, for intense buttery flavour. Kept in the pantry not fridge. Sold at regular grocery stores, or make your own, or just use butter.
Tomato passata – Pureed, strained pure tomatoes, sometimes labelled “tomato puree” in the US (here’s a photo of Mutti brand sold at Walmart). It’s readily available in Australian supermarkets nowadays, alongside pasta sauces. Passata is excellent for making thick, smooth sauces. More on tomato passata here.
Cream – Thickened / heavy cream is best because it is thicker than regular cream. But regular cream will work too and if your sauce is a bit thinner than ideal at the end, just pop the pan back in the oven with just sauce in it for a few minutes (it thickens quickly).
Sugar – Just 1 1/2 teaspoons, to achieve the right flavour tone in the sauce.

How to make One-pan Baked Butter Chicken

As I said from the outset – put everything in the pan and shove it in the oven!!! OK, OK, there’s one or two minor little details to add to that.

Coat chicken – Mix the marinade ingredients in a bowl then toss to coat the chicken.
Mix the sauce ingredients in a baking pan.
Place the chicken in. Scrape out all the residual marinade and dab onto the skin. Don’t waste any of it, that’s all butter chicken flavour!
Bake for 45 minutes at 200°C / 400°F (180°C fan-forced), basting at the 30 minutes and 40 minute mark. We need a slightly hot oven to get good colour on the chicken and reduce the sauce.

Basting – Basting just means spooning sauce over the chicken. After the 2nd baste at the 40 minute mark, I like to put the chicken back in so it browns nicely.
Done! When you pull it out of the oven, the surface of the chicken should be golden and the sauce will have transformed from the unremarkable looking pink watery mixture you mixed up at the beginning into your favourite butter chicken sauce!

SAUCE THICKNESS TROUBLE-SHOOTING

The rate at which the sauce will thicken and darken in colour will differ depending on variables including the accuracy and heat distribution of your oven, the pan you use (and how it conducts/retains heat) and the juiciness of your chicken (frozen-thawed chicken can be more watery inside, and some economical chicken can be pumped up with brine which also means more water comes out when it cooks).

But tweaking at the end is so easy. Just take the chicken out – it needs to rest for 5 to 10 minutes before serving anyway – then pop the pan with the sauce back into the oven. It will thicken quickly, so keep an eye on it.

Serving baked butter chicken

While the chicken is in the oven, steam some basmati rice to serve it with. Place a juicy piece of chicken on top then smother with a generous amount of sauce (I never skimp on sauce, so there is plenty!).

For a splash of fresh green colour, add some coriander/cilantro leaves (whole or chopped). Then dive in. To make everyone even happier, add naan for mopping the bowl clean. If you’re yet to try homemade naan, it needs to be pushed to the top of your list!! The dough doesn’t requiring kneading. It’s extremely straightforward.

Love to know what you think if you try this Baked Butter Chicken. Oh, and did I mention the option to assemble tonight to pop into the oven tomorrow? The ultimate meal-prep. – Nagi x

Watch how to make it

One-pan Baked Butter Chicken

Recipe video above. The miraculous, easy way to make butter chicken in the oven! Just put everything in a pan and pop it in the oven. That sauce is to-die for! Just like the real-thing, with a fraction of the effort.

This doesn't even need to be marinated because the flesh gets infused with flavour as it bakes. Not spicy at all, so this one for everyone!

Course Main

Cuisine Indian

Keyword Butter Chicken, easy curry recipe, oven curry

Prep Time 10

Cook Time 45

Total Time 55

Servings – 6 people

Calories 545cal

Author Nagi

Ingredients

1.2 kg/ 2.4lb (6 pieces) bone-in chicken thighs , skin removed (Note 1)

Butter chicken marinade:

1/2 cup plain yoghurt , full fat
1 tbsp lemon juice
1 tbsp ginger , finely grated
2 cloves garlic , finely grated or crushed
1 tsp turmeric powder
2 tsp garam masala (Note 2)
1/2 tsp chilli powder (pure, not US blend) or cayenne pepper powder
1 tsp ground cumin
1/2 tsp cooking salt / kosher salt

Butter chicken curry sauce:

2 tbsp/ 30g melted ghee or butter (Note 3)
1 cup tomato passata (US: tomato puree) (Note 4)
3/4 cup heavy / thickened cream (or regular cream, or coconut milk)
1 1/2 tsp white sugar
3/4 tsp cooking salt / kosher salt

Serving:

1/2 cup coriander leaves (cilantro) , for garnish (optional)
Basmati rice or other plain rice
Naan (easy – no kneading required!)

Cups – Metric

Instructions

Preheat oven to 200°C / 400°F (180°C fan-forced).
Coat chicken – Mix the marinade ingredients in a bowl, then add the chicken and toss to coat.
Optional marinade – overnight. (Note 5)
Assemble – Mix Sauce ingredients in a 23 x 33cm / 9 x 13" baking dish. Place chicken in, smooth side up. Scrape residual marinade out of bowl and dab onto chicken surface.
Bake 45 minutes, basting with sauce at the 30 minute and 40 minute mark. The sauce will change from pink to orangey-red (Note 6 for sauce thickening).
Serve – Rest for 5 minutes. Then serve over basmati rice, garnished with coriander if desired! Naan for mopping would make everyone extra happy.

Notes

1. Chicken – Best to remove the skin so the sauce isn’t too greasy. Bone-in thighs work best as they remain juicy for the required bake time.

Drumsticks will also works, use a bit more.
Boneless thighs – get the sauce going first for around 20 min then add the chicken and bake for a further 15 – 20 min until just cooked through.
Breast – personally don’t recommend, flavour result won’t be the same (it’s so lean!). But if you insist, here’s how I’d do it! Cut ~650g/1.3lb into big bite size pieces, cook per boneless thighs above (I’d spray the chicken).

2. Garam masala is an Indian curry spice mix widely available at regular grocery stores these days. Doesn’t cost any more than regular spices!

3. Ghee is a type of clarified butter that is commonly used in Indian cooking, for intense buttery flavour. Kept in the pantry not fridge. Sold at regular grocery stores, or make your own, or just use butter.

4. Tomato passata – Pureed, strained pure tomatoes, sometimes labelled “tomato puree” in the US (here’s a photo of Mutti brand sold at Walmart). It’s readily available in Australian supermarkets nowadays, alongside pasta sauces. Passata is excellent for making thick, smooth sauces. More on tomato passata here.

5. Marinating not essential for this method of cooking because the flesh gets infused with flavour as it bakes! But you can marinade if you want.

6. Sauce thickness – If your sauce isn’t as thick as it should be (oven temp accuracy and baking pan heat conduction come into play here) just remove the chicken and return the sauce into the oven. It will thicken quickly.

Leftovers will keep for 3 to 4 days in the fridge, or freezer for 3 months. Make-ahead – You can assemble the entire thing in a ceramic or glass baking dish, refrigerate overnight then bake tomorrow. Imagine that!

Nutrition per serving, assuming 6 servings.

Nutrition

Life of Dozer

I wasn’t at RTM today. I was back in the office, schlepping away on the computer writing up today’s post. I want to tell you here’s Dozer, consoling me because I’m feeling left out. But actually, he just wants that treat on the table. 😂

The post One-pan Baked Butter Chicken appeared first on RecipeTin Eats.

One pot creamy tomato beef pasta

Nagi — Mon, 14 Aug 2023 06:00:00 +0000

This is a beef pasta cooked with Italian seasonings in a creamy tomato sauce. The epitome of easy homemade comfort food with the convenience of one-pot cooking!

One Pot Creamy Tomato Beef Pasta

I’m quite selective about one-pot pasta recipes. I only use it for saucy pastas, like today’s. It just doesn’t work properly with less saucy pastas, like Puttanesca and pesto pasta, because there’s not enough liquid to cook the pasta evenly.

So, any one-pot pasta recipe you see here on my website is saucy and oozy.

I’ve never heard any complaints. Everybody loves sauce!

Today’s is a beef pasta that comes with a creamy tomato sauce. It’s essentially a variation of Bolognese, with Italian seasonings plus a dash of cream. Total crowd pleaser!

Proof of ooziness:

Ingredients in this One Pot Beef Pasta

Following on from my introduction about the sauciness of one pot pastas, it will be no surprise when I say that the key to cooking one pot pasta recipes is to have plenty of liquid that the pasta can absorb! Dried pasta absorbs more than double its own weight in liquid as it cooks. Today, we use 4 cups of stock plus a can of tomato for 360g/12 ounces of pasta.

Beef mince (ground beef) – I use lean here (90% or 95%) but any fat % will do. Actually, the fattier the beef, the beefier the flavour – because fat is where all the flavour is! If you mix, say, lamb fat into very lean beef mince and cook it up, you’d swear you’re eating lamb.
Chicken stock/broth – The cooking liquid of choice. Tastier than water! I use the liquid cartons regularly in my cooking so I stock up when it’s on sale. For an economical option, I recommend using Vegeta stock powder or Chinese chicken stock powder (Knorr) plus water. I prefer the flavour of these over other Western stock powders.
Pasta type – I used the spirals (fusilli), but other similar sized short pastas will work just fine too. Penne, ziti, elbow macaroni, shells. Avoid the really small pastas like risoni/orzo, tiny stars etc. If using long pasta, it’s easiest to break in half. You can also use a little more – increase up to about 400g/14oz.
Cream – Just 3/4 cup, stirred in right at the end transforms a normal tomato sauce into a creamy tomato sauce! You really do only need 3/4 cup to get the flavour and colour impact of the creaminess.
Garlic and onion – Essential flavour base.
Tomato paste and canned tomato – Tomato paste gives a boost to the tomato flavour as well as thickening the sauce a touch.
Italian herbs – Seasoning! I use a store bought mix, it’s a staple in the dried herbs and spices aisle at any grocery store and doesn’t cost any more than other dried herbs. If you don’t have it, use any mix of dried oregano, basil and parsley. Or, a dash of Worcestershire sauce. Just something to add flavour.
Red pepper flakes (chilli flakes) – 100% optional. I like to add a tiny touch of warmth into this to keep things interest but you can just leave it out if you prefer!

How to make One Pot Creamy Tomato Beef Pasta

Don’t be alarmed by how saucy it is at the end as you take it off the stove, that’s exactly what you want. Pasta absorbs liquid really quickly, so by the time you ladle into bowls, garnish with parmesan, put the bowls on the table, yell at everyone to sit down then start eating, the pasta will go from a little bit too soupy to the perfect level of ooziness.

Cook beef – Sauté the garlic and onion. Then add the beef and cook, breaking it up as you go, until you no longer see red.
Toast seasoning – Add the Italian herbs then cook for 30 seconds. This really brings out the flavour of the herbs and spices, and improves the flavour by toasting it. Then add the tomato paste and stir for a minute. This cooks out the rawness and also improves the flavour.

Add liquids and pasta – Add the stock, canned tomato, red pepper flakes, salt and pepper. Give it a good stir, then add the pasta.
Cook 15 minutes – Once the liquid comes back up to a simmer, cook for 15 minutes until the pasta is just about cooked. Stir every couple of minutes at the start then more regularly towards the end to ensure the pasta doesn’t stick to the base of the pot. As you cook, the liquid will reduce and thicken but should still be soupier than you’d expect.

Cream it! Stir in the cream, bring it back up to a simmer then keep cooking for another minute until the pasta is fully cooked. It should still be slightly soupier than you think!
Serving – Remove from the stove, then give it a good stir and ladle into bowls. Sprinkle with parmesan and a little parsley if using, then devour!
As noted at above, pasta absorbs liquid quite quickly so it will go from a little too soupy to perfect ooziness in the time it takes between taking it off the stove and eating it. In any case, saucier is better than dry. Nobody wants a mound of gluey, stodgy pasta!!!

YUM. That’s a bowl of food that is 100% me. It’s not fancy. It’s fuss free to make. It’s hearty and cosy and easy and rustic and full of flavour.

I know it’s a cliche to say “it’s me on a plate”, but it really is. (Well, bowl).

Love to know what you think if you try it! – Nagi x

Watch how to make it

One pot creamy tomato beef pasta

Recipe video above. This is a beefy pasta cooked with Italian seasonings in a creamy tomato sauce. Epitome of homemade comfort food with the convenience of one-pot cooking! Love how the pasta absorbs the flavour of the sauce.

For more, see the full One Pot Pasta recipe collection.

Course Mains

Cuisine Italian, Western

Keyword beef pasta, creamy tomato beef pasta, easy pasta dinner, One Pot Pasta

Prep Time 10

Cook Time 20

Servings – 5 people

Calories 610cal

Author Nagi

Ingredients

1 1/2 tbsp olive oil
2 garlic cloves , finely minced
1 onion , finely chopped
500g/ 1 lb beef mince / ground beef
2 tsp Italian herbs (Note 1)
2 tbsp tomato paste
400g/ 14 oz can crushed tomatoes (or tomato passata)
1/2 tsp red pepper flakes (chilli flakes, optional)
1 1/2 tsp cooking salt/kosher salt
1/2 tsp black pepper
4 cups (1 L) chicken stock/broth , low sodium (Note 2)
350g/ 12oz fusilli, penne, elbow macaroni or other short pasta (Note 3)
3/4 cups thickened / heavy cream

Serving:

Parmesan cheese , finely grated
Parsley , finely chopped, optional

Cups – Metric

Instructions

Sauté – Heat the oil on high heat in a large heavy-based pot. Cook garlic and onion for 1 1/2 minutes.
Cook beef & seasonings – Add beef and cook, breaking it up as you go, until you can no longer see red meat. Add the Italian herbs and cook for 30 seconds, then add tomato paste and cook for 1 minute to cook out the raw flavour.
All in – Add crushed tomato, chicken stock, salt, pepper and red pepper flakes, if using. Stir, then add the pasta.
Cook 15 min – Bring the liquid to a simmer, then cook for 15 minutes, stirring every couple of minutes then more frequently towards the end (ensure pasta doesn't stick to base) until the pasta is just about cooked.
Creamy – Add cream, then simmer for a further 1 to 2 minutes. It will still be quite saucy – this is what you want! Pasta absorbs liquid quickly, so it will still be nice and oozy when you start eating.
Serve – Remove from the stove. Give it a good stir then ladle into bowls. Serve with parmesan and parsley.

Notes

1. Italian Herbs – Just a store bought mix, very common at grocery stores. If you don’t have any, just use a mix of dried oregano, parsley, basil. Or sub with a teaspoon of Worcestershire sauce.

2. Chicken stock/broth – Tastier than water! I stock up when on sale. Economical alternative – I recommend using Vegeta stock powder (info here – I use it regularly) or Chinese chicken stock powder (Knorr) plus water. I prefer the flavour of these over other Western stock powders.

3. Any short pasta will work here, like macaroni, penne etc but not tiny ones like risoni/orzo. If using long pasta, easiest to break in half and you can cook about 400g/14oz (a little more than short pasta).

4. Leftovers will keep for 3 days in the fridge. Not suitable for freezing.

Nutrition per serving, assuming 5 servings using 90% lean beef.

Nutrition

Life of Dozer

I caught him snuffling a tub of rice in the pantry so he was made to walk around with a sticker of shame. (Raw rice grains. I think there was a smear of sauce on the tub. It can surely be the only explanation).

The post One pot creamy tomato beef pasta appeared first on RecipeTin Eats.

Creamy baked fish on potato gratin

Nagi — Wed, 17 May 2023 04:37:35 +0000

This is a one-pan meal with fish baked in cream on top of a potato gratin with a golden crunchy topping. It’s a cross between a casserole, gratin and a pie. Fabulously cosy, rustic, oven baked fish recipe that’s effortless yet company worthy!

Creamy baked fish on potato gratin

This dish gives off very French-country vibes. Which, in hindsight, is rather unsurprising given it’s a recipe that our very own Chef JB just casually threw together one day. We ate it, loved it so much, declared it was “website-worthy” then proceeded to remake it…oh, I don’t know. Maybe 10, 12 times before we were fully happy with it and closed out all the “what ifs”?

Basically, it’s a creamy potato gratin, heavy on the leek (or onion), with fish that is baked on top at the same time, covered in a crunchy golden breadcrumb topping. So essentially, the breadcrumb topping acts as a lid, keeping everything steamy and succulent as the fish bubbles away in the creamy sauce while the gratin soaks up the tasty fish juices.

It’s just an all-out cosy dish of deliciousness!

Ingredients

Here’s what you need to make this:

Best fish

This recipe is best made with the more delicate white fish fillets that are around 2 cm (0.8″) thick. We don’t want fillets too thin else they will overcook. (UPDATE: Readers have made and loved it with salmon – read feedback in comments section!)

Our favourite fish to make this with is barramundi which is a popular Australian fish. Here are some more fish with similar cooking characteristics that will work great:

barramundi (pictured), John Dory, snapper, basa, jewfish, blue eye cod (trevalla), tilapia, cod, halibut, pollock, hake, and salmon (readers have tried and loved – see recipe comments!).

Remember, the shape of fish means that you get thick cuts from the main body as well as thin cuts from towards the tail. Opt for the thicker cuts, aiming for 2cm/0.8″ thick. Pictured above is barramundi which is a thicker fish so we used the tail.

Skin on or off? Either is fine, it really won’t affect the bake time. But the skin won’t be crispy. If this is a turn-off for you, just eat the flesh and leave the skin.

Fish to avoid

I recommend avoiding:

Fish that dry out easily when cooked – Like swordfish, tuna, bonito, kingfish, marlin, mackerel. Unless you’re extremely careful they can become dry inside so are very prone to overcooking in the oven. I feel these fish are (mostly) better in raw/rare form such as Ceviche, Poke Bowls, Tartare (also see Tuna Steak);
Oily, “fishy” fish – Like mullet and sardines (try this recipe for sardines!).

For the potato gratin and creamy sauce

And here’s what you need for the rest of the dish:

Potatoes – Floury (starchy) and all-rounder potatoes work best to achieve a lovely potato gratin flavour.
– Australia: the cheap dirt-brushed potatoes sold everywhere (called Sebago) are ideal
– US: Russet
– UK: Maris Piper
Leek – Flavour base for the gratin. Feel free to substitute with a standard onion!
Garlic – Flavour base.
Chardonnay or other dry white wine – This gives the sauce depth of flavour. Without, it tastes more one dimensional and like it’s missing “something”. Chardonnay is my favourite but any dry white wine that’s not too sweet or too woody will work fine. Non alcoholic substitute – More vegetable stock.
Vegetable stock/broth – For semi braising the potatoes in a flavoured broth, tastier than using just water!
Butter – For pan sautéing the potatoes before finishing them off in the oven.
Panko, parmesan and olive oil – The crunchy topping!

How to make Creamy Fish on Potato Gratin

This is a one pan meal that starts off on the stove and is finished in the oven. It would be handy if the whole dish could just be done in the oven, but we tried and the flavour was not as good. Whereas using the stove-to-oven method makes it company-worthy good!

Crunchy topping – Mix the panko and olive oil together, then stir through the parmesan.
Sauté the leeks and garlic, then cook the sliced potatoes for 6 minutes or until they are partially cooked. During this step, the potatoes absorb the flavour of the leek and garlic which is what makes the gratin so good!
Braise the potatoes firstly in wine for 1 minute (simmer rapidly to almost fully reduce to cook out the alcohol) then the vegetable stock for 1 1/2 minutes until reduced by half.
Top with fish pieces (which we first sprinkle with salt and pepper). Then pour over the cream, aiming for as much coverage as possible.
Topping – Sprinkle the entire surface with the crunchy topping.
Bake for 30 minutes – I PROMISE THE FISH DOES NOT OVERCOOK!! You would think it does, but it doesn’t. All that creamy goodness under the breadcrumb topping keeps everything moist and succulent!
Broil/grill 4 minutes – Then to finish it off, I like to give it a quick 4 minute blast under the oven grill/broiler to give the topping lovely colour.
Rest 5 minutes – Place on the counter and let it rest for 5 minutes before serving. Don’t skip this step! This is when the juices in the fish gets reabsorbed into the fibres so when you cut into the fish, it stays in the fish flesh (and ends up in your mouth) rather than running out onto the plate.

What to serve with Creamy Fish on Potato Gratin

All you need to finish off this meal is a fresh, crisp salad to serve on the side. Just toss leafy greens in French Dressing, or if you’re cooking for company, try the French Bistro Salad. On theme with the French-ish vibes going on in this dish!

I also wouldn’t say no to some crusty bread for mopping the plate clean. And for dessert – anyone for a pile of fresh baked Madeleines? Fast becoming a go-to for dinner parties because the batter is made in advance (you can even freeze it!) and stored in piping bags or jugs. Then it literally takes 2 minutes to pipe into the pan and 10 minutes to bake. How good is that!!! – Nagi x

Suggested sides

French bistro salad

No-knead crusty artisan bread for plate mopping

French dressing

Watch how to make it

Creamy fish on potato gratin

Recipe video above. This is a one-pan meal with fish baked on top of a potato gratin in a creamy sauce with a golden crunchy topping. It's a cross between a casserole, gratin and a pie. The idea is that the panko acts like a lid, keeping the fish succulent as it bubbles away in the cream while the gratin soaks up the tasty fish juices.

This is a fabulous cosy, rustic oven baked fish recipe that's effortless yet company worthy!

Course Mains

Cuisine French-style, Western

Keyword baked fish, fish and potatoes, fish casserole

Prep Time 10

Cook Time 45

Servings

Calories 710cal

Author Nagi

Ingredients

4 x 160g/5oz white fish fillets , ~2cm / 0.8" thick, skinless (barramundi, snapper, tilapia, cod, salmon – Note 1)
1/2 tsp cooking/kosher salt
1/4 tsp black pepper

Potato gratin:

3 tbsp / 50g unsalted butter
2 large leeks , white and pale green part only, washed, cut in half lengthways, sliced 5mm / 0.2" thick OR 2 onions (Note 2)
3 garlic cloves , minced
2 medium starchy potatoes (250g / 8oz each), peeled (Note 3)
3/4 tsp cooking/kosher salt
1/2 tsp black pepper
1/2 cup dry white wine , any type, sub more veg stock (Note 4)
1/2 cup vegetable stock/broth , low sodium
1 cup thickened/heavy cream

Crunchy topping:

3/4 cup panko breadcrumbs
2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1/4 cup parmesan , finely shredded

Cups – Metric

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 180°C/350°F (160°C fan) with a shelf in the middle.
Potatoes – Cut the potatoes into quarters, then sliced 4mm / 1/6" thick. Place cut potato in a large bowl of water (prevents from going brown, removes excess starch so it cooks quicker). Drain before use.
Crunchy topping: Mix panko and olive oil in a bowl. Then stir in parmesan.
Season fish: Sprinkle salt and pepper on both sides of the fish fillets. Set aside.
Sauté – Melt butter in a large oven-proof skillet (30cm/12") over high heat until foamy. Add leek and garlic, then cook for 3 minutes.
Sauté potatoes – Add potato, salt and pepper. Cook for 6 minutes, stirring regularly. The potatoes should be half cooked at this stage.
Reduce wine and stock – Pour in white wine. Simmer rapidly until it is mostly evaporated – about 1 minute. Pour in stock, then simmer for 1 1/2 minutes or until reduced by half.
Top with fish – Turn the stove off. Place fish on top of the potatoes, presentation side up. (Note 1) Pour cream all over, aiming for full coverage. Sprinkle with panko breadcrumbs.
Bake for 30 minutes – I know this sounds like a long time but the fish stays succulent!
Colour topping – Switch to the oven grill (broiler) on high and move the skillet up to the top shelf. Grill/broil 4 minutes or until golden.
Rest – Remove and rest for 5 minutes, then serve! Eat the fish and gratin together with each mouthful for maximum eating pleasure!!

Notes

1. Fish – Best made with the more delicate white fish fillets that are around 2 cm (0.8″) thick. Not too thick (not enough flavour gets inside) and not too thin (overcooks). Our favourite fish is barramundi. Other suitable fish include: John Dory, snapper, basa, jewfish, blue eye cod (trevalla), tilapia, cod, halibut, pollock, hake. I wasn’t sure about salmon but readers were quick to try it and they loved it!

Other white fish fillets will work fine (like ling and monkfish) however, the flesh is a little firmer and meatier and for this dish, we really enjoyed it with slightly softer white fish fillets.

Remember, the shape of fish means that you get thick cuts from the main body as well as thin cuts from towards the tail. Opt for the thicker cuts!

Frozen fish works just fine, thaw then pat dry well before using.

Other proteins – Sorry to say I can’t think of alternatives for the recipe as written or with only minor tweaks. I think chicken would be bland. Shrimp/prawns might work but I’d have to reduce cook time.

Presentation side of the fish is the side that was cut off the bone which looks nicer when cooked ie the side the skin was on is NOT the presentation side.

2. Leeks washing – Chop the reedy dark green part off, only use the soft white & pale green part. Peel off and discard the first outer layer. Cut in halve lengthwise, wash. Shake excess water off well, then slice.

3. Potatoes – Floury (starchy) and all-rounder potatoes work best to achieve a lovely potato gratin texture.
– Australia: the cheap dirt-brushed potatoes sold everywhere (called Sebago) are ideal
– US: Russet
– UK: Maris Piper

4. Wine adds more flavour into this dish but doesn’t make it taste winey because we cook the alcohol out. Substitute with more vegetable stock.

Leftovers will keep for 3 days in the fridge. Not suitable for freezing.

Nutrition per serving.

Nutrition

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Thai red curry pot roast chicken

Nagi — Wed, 19 Apr 2023 04:16:41 +0000

I really did mean to post a classic pot roast chicken. But this Thai red curry version is SO MUCH MORE EXCITING!! To-die-for red curry sauce with outrageously juicy chicken, you’ll have this in the oven in 10 minutes. Effortless recipes with incredible results, this is my kind of food!

Thai red curry pot roast chicken

Consider this to be the roast chicken version of Lamb Shanks Massaman Curry, and beloved fan-favourite where you just put everything in a pan, pop it in the oven, then out comes fall-apart bronzed lamb shanks smothered in a rich massaman curry sauce.

Admittedly, this roast chicken red curry version does call for one extra step – sautéing the curry paste with aromatics (garlic, ginger, lemongrass) – before adding everything else and transferring it into the oven. Well worth a whole 2 minutes of effort for the extra depth of flavour you get in the Thai red curry sauce. And LOOK at the sauce!!

Speaking of sauce – did I mention we’re using store bought instead of homemade red curry paste today? For ease. Which brings me to an important topic:

My favourite red curry paste – Maesri

The best and cheapest. Full stop, end of story!

There is just no other than compares in mainstream grocery stores and Asian stores here in Australia. For authentic flavour – fresh, real, and not too sweet (why-oh-why are all the “western” red curry pastes so darn sweet??!!). Given the tick of approval by Thai nationals and it happens to be the cheapest curry paste clocking in at $2.10 a can.

While I highly recommend Maesri, this recipe does work with other red curry paste brands too. But the sauce will only be as good as the curry paste you use!

Where to find Maesri red curry paste

Asian grocery stores (it’s very common here in Australia)
Australia – Woolworths, Harris Farms, Amazon, asianpantry.com.au
Other countries – Amazon US, Amazon UK, Amazon CA (strangely pricey in Canada??)

Ingredients in Thai red curry pot roast chicken

Here’s what you need to make today’s recipe.

The red curry sauce

Red curry paste – As per section above, Maesri is my preferred! Cheapest and most authentic flavour.
Lemongrass, garlic and ginger – Adding these gives the store bought curry paste a flavour boost that makes it virtually like homemade red curry paste. It really makes a different!
Lemongrass – Substitute with 1 tablespoon of lemongrass paste. But one day, I hope you can make this with fresh lemongrass because it really is better!
Coconut cream – Not all coconut cream is created equal! Good ones are 100% coconut and have better flavour. Economical ones use water + thickener.
Coconut milk will also work but coconut flavour is not as intense (the sauce gets a ton of juices from chicken which dilutes the coconut flavour which is why coconut cream works better than milk).
Kaffir lime leaves – For authentic Thai curry flavour! Fairly accessible these days at large grocery stores and Asian stores. They freeze 100% perfectly which is handy.
Use leftover kaffire lime leaves in Thai red curry, Tom Yum soup, Thai meatballs, beef rendang, Malaysian chicken satay curry, green curry, golden turmeric baked fish and everybody’s favourite Asian coconut rice!
Fish sauce – This is used as the salt in red curry. More flavour than plain salt!
Sugar – For the right touch of sweetness you find in red curry sauce.
Red chilli – For optional garnish.

Vegetables and herbs

Potatoes – Small, skin on whole potatoes are best as the skin holds them together while they cook up beautifully creamy inside. If using cut pieces, add them partway through cooking else they will disintegrate.
Green beans – Just to add some vegetables into the sauce, plus a sprinkle of green. Feel free to add other vegetables!
Thai Basil has a slight aniseed flavour. Italian basil can be used in a pinch! Really adds a special touch to the finished dish so try not to skip it. But if this is the only thing you’re missing, still worth making!
Coriander/cilantro (optional) – This is mainly for garnish, though if you don’t have Thai Basil this makes a good alternative as a fresh herb addition to the dish.

Whole chicken

Oh yes, and you will need a whole chicken. Let’s not make today’s recipe like that time I forgot to include pork in a roast pork recipe!! 😂

I use a 1.8kg/3.6lb chicken. It’s fine to use one a little larger or smaller as the pot-roasting method of cooking we’re using today is very forgiving. It will keep chicken juicy even if you take it over (small chickens) and cooks evenly and fast so larger chickens will cook through.

How to make Thai red curry pot roast chicken

This all gets made in one pot, and you’ll have it in the oven in 10 minutes!

Cook off curry paste – Sauté the curry paste with lemongrass, ginger and garlic for a couple of minutes. The curry paste will dry out and caramelise which intensifies and improves the flavour. An essential step when using any store bought curry paste!
Sauce – Add the chicken stock then reduce it by half to concentrate the flavour. Add the remaining sauce ingredients – coconut cream, fish sauce, sugar, kaffir lime leaves – and stir to combine.
Put the chicken into the sauce and spoon sauce over. Then place the potatoes around it.
Bake covered for 40 minutes.

Brown the chicken – After 40 minutes, remove the lid and bake for a further 30 minutes, basting every 10 minutes. Oh, and push the beans into the sauce for the last 10 minutes! Any earlier and they’ll overcook far too much.
Just use a spoon to baste the chicken (which simple means spooning the sauce over) though if you have a turkey baster, it will make your life even easier.
Final baste – Give the chicken a final baste then transfer it to a plate to rest for 10 minutes before cutting it into pieces.
Thai Basil leaves – Stir the basil leaves into the sauce just before plating up, so as to retain the freshness of the flavour.
To serve – Place the chicken pieces on a platter then pour over the sauce, potatoes and beans. Garnish with extra chilli and fresh coriander if desired, then take it to the table!

I know I’ve been going on and on about the sauce – and it really is worthy of the talk, I promise – but I shouldn’t undersell how juicy the chicken is, thanks to the pot roasting method of cooking! So much more forgiving than traditional roast chicken – which we all love, but does require more accuracy to ensure you don’t end up with a dry breast.

This pot roasting method yields very juicy chicken!

Love how creamy the potatoes are inside

Ah, also, the potatoes!! Using whole small baby potatoes means we can cook them until they are really soft and creamy inside without disintegrating. If you only have large potatoes, cut them into 1.5cm / 0.6″ chunks and add them about halfway through the cook time, otherwise they will over-cook and turn into mush.

Serve over jasmine rice, to soak up all that beautiful curry sauce, and a perky side salad for something fresh. Pictured above is my Asian side salad but if I had a choice, I probably would’ve opted for smashed cucumbers or my favourite Chang’s Crispy Noodle Cabbage Salad.

I really hope you try this recipe one of these days! Something a little different but very straight forward to make that’s forgiving, with knock-your-socks-off results. It’s Amazing – with a capital A. Everybody knows when I use capitals, I really mean it! 😂 – Nagi x

Watch how to make it

Thai red curry pot roast chicken

Recipe video above. Such a spectacular way to cook a whole chicken! Cooked in a Thai red curry sauce with potatoes and beans, the pot-roasting method keeps the chicken ultra juicy. Plus, we can get away with store bought curry paste here because the chicken juices add a stack of money-can't-buy flavour into the sauce.

Easy enough for midweek, definitely impressive enough for company!

Course Mains

Cuisine Thai-ish

Keyword One Pot Dinner, pot roasted chicken, Red curry, Thai chicken

Prep Time 10

Cook Time 1 15

De-chilling and resting 1 10

Total Time 2 35

Servings – 6 people

Calories 766cal

Author Nagi

Ingredients

1.8 kg/ 3.6 lb whole chicken
1 tsp cooking/kosher salt
3 tbsp vegetable oil
115g/ 4 oz (1/2 cup) Thai red curry paste (Maesri recommended, Note 1)
2 large garlic cloves , finely grated (Note 2)
2 tsp fresh ginger , finely grated (Note 2)
2 tsp fresh lemongrass , finely grated, white / pale green part only (Note 2)
1 cup chicken stock/broth , low sodium
400 ml/ 14 oz coconut cream (Note 3)
6 kaffir lime leaves , crushed in hand (Note 4)
1 tbsp white sugar
2 tsp fish sauce
600g/ 1.2lb small potatoes (12 or so), skin on (Note 5)
120g/ 4oz green beans , trimmed and cut in half
15 Thai basil leaves , or more! (sub ordinary Italian basil, Note 6)

Serving + optional garnishes:

Jasmine rice
Red chilli , finely sliced
Coriander / cilantro leaves

Instructions

De-chill & salt chicken – Take the chicken out of the fridge 1 hour prior. Pat dry then sprinkle with the salt.
Preheat oven to 200°C/400°F (180°C fan).
Sauté curry paste – Use a large, oven-proof pot with a lid. Heat oil on medium high heat. Cook curry paste, garlic, ginger and lemongrass for 2 minutes. This step substantially improves the flavour of store bought curry paste.
Sauce – Add chicken stock, stir, then simmer rapidly for 3 minutes to reduce by half. Stir in coconut cream, hand-crushed kaffir lime leaves, sugar and fish sauce.
Place chicken into the sauce. Spoon over sauce. Surround with potatoes.
Bake 1 hour – Place the lid on and bake for 40 minutes. Remove lid spoon sauce over chicken (ie. baste). Turn the oven up to 220°C/425°F (200°C fan). Bake uncovered for 10 minutes, baste, bake another 10 minutes.
Beans, then bake 10 minutes – Push beans into the sauce (wherever they fit!). Baste again then bake for a final 10 minutes (no lid).
Rest 10 minutes – Remove chicken onto a plate (Note 7). Rest 10 minutes. Put lid on pot to keep sauce warm.
Serving – Carve chicken, place on platter. Stir basil leaves into sauce. Pour/spoon sauce, potatoes and beans over chicken. Garnish with chilli and coriander, if desired. Serve with jasmine rice!

Notes

1. Curry paste – My position on the best Thai red curry is fairly well documented on this website! Maesri is the best – there is just no question. Find it at Woolies, Harris Farms, Asian stores and online. (Overseas Amazon – US, Canada, UK).

2. Grating – Use a microplane or similar to grate it finely so it mixes in really well with the curry paste. It spruces up store bought paste to make it taste like homemade.

Lemongrass – 1 tbsp lemongrass paste can be used.

3. Coconut cream – Not all coconut cream is created equal! Good ones are 100% coconut and have better flavour. Economical ones use water + thickener. Coconut milk will also work but coconut flavour is not as intense (the sauce gets a ton of juices from chicken which dilutes the coconut flavour which is why coconut cream works better than milk).

4. Kaffir lime leaves – fairly accessible these days at large grocery stores and Asian stores. They freeze 100% perfectly. Use leftover kaffire lime leaves in Thai red curry, Tom Yum soup, Thai meatballs, beef rendang, Malaysian chicken satay curry, green curry, golden turmeric baked fish and everybody’s favourite Asian coconut rice!

5. Potatoes – Small, skin on whole potatoes are best as the skin holds them together while they cook up beautifully creamy inside. If using cut pieces, add them partway through cooking else they will disintegrate.

6. Thai Basil has a slight aniseed flavour. Italian basil can be used in a pinch! Really adds a special touch to the finished dish so try not to skip it. But if this is the only thing you’re missing, still worth making!

7. Removing chicken – I stick tongs inside cavity + spatula to support underneath, so as not to ruin skin

Nutrition

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The post Thai red curry pot roast chicken appeared first on RecipeTin Eats.