This week, I needed a dinner that could practically cook itself. I had just launched six organic seasonings in my Finnish Ellin keittiö clean keto and carnivore online store, and between getting everything ready, I had very little time left for this week’s blog recipe. Fortunately, a busy week is an excellent excuse to make creamy chicken.
I often make a simple creamy chicken dish for my son with curry powder. Since I had six new seasonings sitting in my kitchen, I thought I might as well put one to work. I chose garam masala because it’s less familiar to me than the others. All I had to do was swap it for the curry powder in my usual recipe — no complicated experiments required, thank goodness.
The result is this 5-Ingredient Creamy Garam Masala Chicken: tender chicken in a rich, warmly spiced sauce, made in one skillet. It’s quick enough for a week like mine, but good enough that nobody at the table needs to know how little effort it took.
And don’t worry if you can’t get my organic garam masala. Other brands are available around the world. Blends vary quite a bit, though — some are mild, while others bring enough heat to wake up the whole kitchen. Check the ingredients for anything you’d rather avoid, and adjust the amount to suit your taste. And choose a brand without added salt. It’s always better to salt the food to your taste.
Step-by-Step Instructions
This is the kind of dinner you make when your to-do list is longer than your patience:
Heat a large skillet over medium heat.
Place 2 tablespoons of butter in the skillet and let it melt.
Add 1 lb (450 g) of boneless, skinless chicken thighs, cut into bite-sized pieces.
Cook for about 5 minutes, stirring all the time…
…until the chicken is lightly browned.
Sprinkle 1 teaspoon (or to taste) of garam masala…
…and 1 teaspoon (or to taste) of unrefined sea salt over the chicken.
Stir until well combined.
Pour in 3/4 cup (180 ml) of heavy cream.
Stir well, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom of the skillet. Let the dish simmer gently for about 10 minutes, stirring occasionally…
…or until the sauce has thickened to your liking and the chicken is cooked through. Taste and adjust the salt if needed.
Serve immediately with the sauce spooned over the chicken.
Yum!
Here’s the recipe for you to enjoy:
5-Ingredient Creamy Garam Masala Chicken
This week, I needed a dinner that could practically cook itself. I had just launched six organic seasonings in my Finnish Ellin keittiö clean keto and carnivore online store, and between getting everything ready, I had very little time left for this week’s blog recipe. Fortunately, a busy week is an excellent excuse to make creamy chicken.
I often make a simple creamy chicken dish for my son with curry powder. Since I had six new seasonings sitting in my kitchen, I thought I might as well put one to work. I chose garam masala because it’s less familiar to me than the others. All I had to do was swap it for the curry powder in my usual recipe — no complicated experiments required, thank goodness.
The result is this 5-Ingredient Creamy Garam Masala Chicken: tender chicken in a rich, warmly spiced sauce, made in one skillet. It’s quick enough for a week like mine, but good enough that nobody at the table needs to know how little effort it took.
And don’t worry if you can’t get my organic garam masala. Other brands are available around the world. Blends vary quite a bit, though — some are mild, while others bring enough heat to wake up the whole kitchen. Check the ingredients for anything you’d rather avoid, and adjust the amount to suit your taste.
Ingredients
- 1 lb = 450 g boneless, skinless chicken thighs, cut into bite-sized pieces
- 2 tablespoons grass-fed butter
- 1 teaspoon (or to taste) garam masala seasoning
- 3/4 cup = 180 ml heavy cream
- 1 teaspoon (or to taste) unrefined sea salt
Instructions
- Heat a large skillet over medium heat. Place the butter in the skillet and let it melt.
- Add the chicken and cook for about 5 minutes, stirring all the time, until the chicken is lightly browned.
- Sprinkle the garam masala and the salt over the chicken. Stir until well combined.
- Pour in the cream and stir well, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom of the skillet.
- Let the dish simmer gently for about 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, or until the sauce has thickened to your liking and the chicken is well done.
- Taste and adjust the salt if needed. Serve immediately with the sauce spooned over the chicken.
Recommended Products
As an Amazon Associate and member of other affiliate programs, I earn from qualifying purchases - without any extra costs for you.
-
Low Sugar, So Simple: 100 Delicious Low-Sugar, Low-Carb, Gluten-Free Recipes for Eating Clean and Living Healthy -
Quick and Easy Low Sugar Recipes: Delicious Low-Carb Recipes for Crushing Cravings and Eating Clean -
Rani Garam Masala Indian 11-Spice Blend 3oz (85g) PET Jar ~ All Natural, Salt-Free | Vegan | No Colors | Gluten Friendly | NON-GMO | Kosher | Indian Origin
Tips for Variations
Five ingredients are plenty for dinner, but there’s no law against inviting bacon, cheese, or mushrooms to the party.
Make it cheesy
When the chicken is cooked, turn the heat to low and stir 1/2 cup (50 g) of finely grated Parmesan into the sauce until melted. Taste before adding more salt.
Add crispy bacon
Cook 8 bacon slices in the skillet first and set them aside. Brown the chicken in the bacon fat, adding a little butter if needed. Crumble the bacon over the dish just before serving so it stays crisp.
Try a tangy sour cream sauce
Use 1/2 cup (120 ml) of heavy cream instead of 3/4 cup (180 ml). Once the chicken is cooked, remove the skillet from the heat and stir in 1/4 cup (60 g) of sour cream. Don’t boil the sauce afterward, as sour cream can separate. Sour cream makes a perfect sauce; check out my super popular Chicken in Creamy Green Onion Sauce — I bet you’ll fall in love with it like so many others!
Add mushrooms
Brown the chicken and transfer it to a plate. Cook 4 oz (115 g) of sliced mushrooms in the skillet until their liquid has evaporated, then return the chicken to the pan and continue with the garam masala, salt, and cream. This keeps the chicken from overcooking while the mushrooms brown.
Add garlic and ginger
After browning the chicken, stir in 1 crushed garlic clove and 1 tablespoon of freshly grated ginger. Cook for about 30 seconds before adding the garam masala. They give the sauce a stronger aromatic kick without making the recipe much more work.
Make my usual curry version
Replace the garam masala with 1 teaspoon of curry powder. This is the version I often make for my son as per his request. It’s one of his favorite dinners!
Use whole chicken thighs
Take 2 lbs (900 g) of bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs for about four servings. Salt them, then sear them skin-side down in the butter until the skin is golden and crisp. Flip, cover the skillet, and cook over medium heat until the thickest part reaches at least 165°F (74°C); allow roughly 20–30 minutes, depending on their size. Transfer the thighs to a plate. Stir the garam masala into the pan drippings, pour in the cream, and simmer until the sauce thickens. Return the chicken to the skillet, spooning the sauce around the thighs to keep that lovely skin crisp. For this amount of chicken, double the garam masala and cream from the original recipe. This variation is inspired by my Carnivore Lyon-Style Chicken.
Make a plain carnivore-style version
This is for all my completely plant-free readers: Leave out the garam masala and cook the chicken with butter, cream, and salt. It’s a different dish, of course, but the same quick method still works.
Closing Thoughts
Six new organic seasonings launched, one blog recipe finished, and dinner made in a single skillet. I’m calling that a good week! I’ve added a photo of the new arrivals below, since they’re the reason garam masala ended up in my usual creamy chicken instead of curry powder.
I wasn’t quite sure what to expect from the swap, but I’m glad I tried it. The sauce is rich and warming, and the whole thing takes little enough effort that I can make it again when life gets busy — though I hope next week involves slightly less rushing.
If you try the recipe, let me know which garam masala you used and how much you added. I’m curious how different blends change the dish!
Leave a Reply