Chicken in Tomato Broth

The last post of eventful 2019.


What a whirlwind year it has been! Honestly, I am richer with the learning, thankful for all the food served and appalled by all insecurities splashed around. And, this list will not be complete till I profusely thank you, my readers, for suffering me.
I would also like to extend my sincere gratitude towards people, who did come up with all their tips and suggestions to improve the quality of content & one name that has to be mentioned is :Prasun.  All I can promise is to better myself more at the art of story telling, only is you people want me to continue with my blabbering s aka stories.

Now back to the important. There are quite a few reasons as to why did I end up choosing this recipe over the others:
a. Because comfort rules the roost, that hardly needs a mention I guess.
b. After all the dancing of New year gathering, I am quite sure your guests will reveal at the idea of consuming this broth-y chicken with a good serving of rice.
c. Because this recipe is by Nigella, and I guess we all will agree, how her mere digital presence makes us happy.
d. The red broth is a good way to get rid of Monday blues, in case you plan to cook it on any Monday!

And here's your guide to win over the new year dinner table:

1. Start by washing and cleaning 500 gm chicken thigh fillets into bite size cubes. Chop 3 spring onions ( only the white), as finely as humanly possible + 4 cloves of garlic.

2. Wash 400 gm tomatoes and make a cross at the bottoms with a sharp knife. Bring a big pan full of water to boil, and then switch off the gas. Submerge the tomatoes in boiling hot water for 5-7 mins. Then take them out and allow them to cool. The skin will come off easily now, and roughly mash the pulp with your hands or with a masher, whichever is your choice.

3. In a heavy bottom pan, add in 1 tbsp olive oil + 1 tbsp butter, along with 2 dry red chilies (broken), the chopped garlic. Allow them to warm up together.

4. Once aromatic and butter frothy, add in the chopped spring onions whites, on medium flame cook them still soft and translucent.

5. Add in the chicken now, along with 1 tsp of dried oregano & crank up he heat. Give a good mix to combine all ingredients in the pan.

6. Time to pour 2 tbsp of Port wine, into the pan and allow it to come to a boil. Once they start boiling add in the already processed tomatoes and about half a tsp of salt + 1 tsp yellow chili powder. Give a good mix. Cook on medium high flame. Add in 4 tbsp of milk as well, at this stage and stir it all together.

7. As the tomatoes warm up and start forming bubbles on the sides, add in about 200 ml chicken stock to the pan.

8. Open a jar (300 gm approx) of roasted peppers, and snip them with scissors directly into the pan., and crank up the hat till it comes to a boil. Turn down the heat at this stage and clamp on the lid. This will take at the max, 15 mins to cook, the sauce would also thicken by this time. And you will witness a thin film of oil floating on top.

9. Finish them with a sprinkling of some spring onions greens on top, to celebrate the colors of December, Christmas & merriment.

10. I wouldn't bother taking out a serving bowl of any sort for sure, but please feel free if you wish to serve in any other form that you wish to!


Just because there is time constraints, I am straight away going to tell you, about some of my recipe notes. Read on:

a. I had roasted my Red Bell peppers at home, by baking them at 200 C for 40 mins. Once cold, get rid of the skin and store them with some olive oil. You can also char them on naked flame, get rid of the burned skin and douse them in olive oil. I find this one cheaper.

b. Yellow chili powder can very well be replaced by red chili powder. In that case, it is advisable to reduce the quantity.

c. Feel free to use canned tomatoes and snip them with your scissors. I however do it the way mentioned above, I personally find that quite pocket friendly.

d. I had used up my port wine from Guwahati. I feel you can use up any sort of red wine for this!!

e. Please do not even think of using breast for this. By the time, the cooking would be done, the breast pieces will have lost all their moisture.



I had served it with some steamed rice to my family and guests. Just make sure the food is warm, if not piping hot, and watch with absolute pleasure your guests polish off the entire batch in almost no time. I think besides rice, some couscous made with toasted almond flakes and parsley can also be a good idea, with the side of pickled onions and carrots. Dear readers, ignore this idea if you are not that adventurous. Also, I will advice you, not to coax the tomtoes to disintegrate completely, trust me you are going to enjoy these chunks.

And about how to cook Cous-cous...... well, Goggle will help you out. All I can say, it does't need cooking. Just needs  proper covering. Done!

I think, if you are reading this now, the New year gathering dinner is sorted for you. Thank me later.

See you all on the other side of New year, with another new recipe.

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