This recipe combines two popular dishes—Butter Chicken and Breng-i—by merging the creamy butter chicken sauce with rice and the traditional layered preparation method of Breng-i. It also serves as a convenient meal because the chicken is cut into small pieces for quick cooking, and the rice is pre-cooked before assembling the dish. The result is a hearty family meal that does not require the lengthy preparation often associated with classic Breng-i. It is important to understand that this is not traditional Breng-i, but rather a faster and creamier version borrowing elements from both dishes.
Quick Chicken Breng-Curry Recipe
Ingredients
The following components are required for preparation: 3 chicken fillets, diced; 1 teaspoon of salt; 2 tablespoons of curry paste; 1 teaspoon of danja jira powder; ¼ teaspoon of turmeric; 1 teaspoon of minced green chili; 1 teaspoon of minced garlic; ¼ teaspoon of black pepper; juice of ½ lemon; 3 tablespoons of butter; 1 tablespoon of vegetable oil; 1 tablespoon of tomato paste; ½ teaspoon of sugar; 3 potatoes, diced and fried until golden brown; 1 onion, quartered; 2 tomatoes; 125 ml of fresh cream; a handful of chopped cilantro; 2 cups of cooked rice; extra butter for layers; ¼ cup of water; a pinch of yellow food coloring.
Instructions
First, place the onion and tomatoes in a small saucepan with ½ cup of water. Bring to a boil and cook until soft, then puree until smooth and set aside. Next, heat the butter and vegetable oil in a flat-bottomed skillet. Add the diced chicken, salt, curry paste, danja jira, turmeric, green chili, garlic, black pepper, and lemon juice. Cook over medium heat until the chicken is half-done. Then stir in the tomato and onion puree, followed by the tomato paste and sugar. Simmer for a few minutes. Next, add the fresh cream and half of the chopped cilantro. Continue cooking for a few more minutes until the chicken is fully cooked and the sauce has thickened. To assemble the dish, first lay a layer of rice in a baking dish or pot. Then add several small balls of butter, followed by a portion of the butter-chicken mixture and fried potatoes. Continue the layering process, alternating rice, chicken mixture, and potatoes, finishing with a layer of rice. Top with a few more balls of butter and sprinkle with the remaining cilantro. Mix ¼ cup of water with a pinch of yellow food coloring and pour this solution over the rice. Cover tightly with foil and place in a preheated oven at 180°C. Bake until the breng-i is fully heated through, the steam from the rice has evaporated, and there is no excess liquid. Let the dish rest for a few minutes before serving.
How to Prevent Dry Chicken
Pieces of chicken breast do not require a very long cooking time, especially if they are diced. The biggest mistake is cooking them for too long on the stovetop before adding the sauce. The chicken only needs to be half-cooked initially. It will continue to cook in the tomato and onion mixture, and then again during the baking of the assembled dish. It is necessary to maintain moderate heat and stir the chicken regularly for even cooking. As soon as the pieces are done, avoid leaving the pot on the stove for too long. Using cream at the end of the cooking process also helps keep the chicken in a rich sauce, preventing it from drying out.
Practical Note Before Starting
Before starting to assemble the dish, ensure that all components are prepared. The rice must already be cooked, the potatoes fried until golden brown, and the butter-chicken mixture prepared. The chicken mixture must also thicken to a thick sauce consistency before being layered. If it is too runny, it needs a little more time on the stove. When covering the dish with foil, ensure it is sealed tightly. This traps the steam and allows the rice to heat up without adding a large amount of excess liquid. And do not neglect the resting time after removing the breng-i from the oven; a few minutes allow the layers to settle before serving.