Hi guys! I probably should have thrown something on the grill out back because it was the fist nice day since last fall, but I ended up making this simple and delicious chicken dish last night instead. This dish features garam masala, which is actually a (yummy) blend of ground spices, and is commonly used in Northern Indian cooking. I’ve never made garam masala my self, since it’s readily available at Indian markets. I’ve found that you need to discard what you have on-hand every 6 months, because freshness, as with most ground spices, is very important to a dish. I enjoyed this dish, and I hope you will to — please consider giving it a try tonight!

2 Tbsp vegetable oil
3 garlic cloves, very finely grated or minced
2 1/2 lbs skinless, boneless chicken breasts, cut into 2-inch pieces
2 tsp garam masala
1/2 tsp ground cayenne pepper
2 2/3 cups uncooked jasmine rice
4 tsp salt
4 cups chicken stock
2 Tbsp coarsely chopped cilantro

Heat oil in a large wok or Dutch oven over medium heat. Add garlic and cook 1 minute. Increase heat to medium high. Add chicken and brown on all sides, about 5 minutes.

Stir in garam masala and cayenne pepper. Stir in rice and salt, and then the chicken stock. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low, cover wok and simmer for 10 minutes. Remove wok from heat and let stand for an additional minutes. Fluff with a fork, garnish with cilantro and serve.

Serves 4.