Dinner Party Chicken Curry

Adapted from a 1974 Woman's Day magazine clipping tucked into my Great Aunt's recipe files. The clipping is splotched and well worn, a good sign that this was tried & enjoyed. This recipe has instructions designed for a dinner party - you prepare the curry earlier in the day, keep it ready in the fridge until shortly before your guests arrive (the earlier in the day part takes about and hour to cook, the final cooking takes 1 hours and 15 minutes, plus the time it takes to preheat your oven).

• Ready In: 3 hrs 20 mins
• Serves: 12

Ingredients

• 2 (2 1/2lb)  whole chickens, cut into serving size pieces
• 1⁄2 cup butter or 1⁄2 cup margarine
• 2  cups water
• 2  teaspoons chicken bouillon powder
• 2  cups  diced onions
• 1⁄4 cup all-purpose flour
• 2  garlic cloves, minced
• 1  tablespoon curry powder
• 2  teaspoons salt
• 1  teaspoon pepper
• 1  teaspoon ground coriander
• 1  teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1  teaspoon ground ginger
• 1 (16 ounce) can whole tomatoes, drained
• 1  large lime
• 1 (8 ounce) container plain yogurt

• Rice

• 1 1⁄2 cups  raw long-grain white rice
• 3  teaspoons chicken bouillon powder
• 3  tablespoons canola oil
• 3 1⁄2 cups boiling water

Directions

1. Melt half of the butter in a large pot or Dutch oven, then brown the chicken parts in batches; remove with tongs to a paper towel lined plate to drain.
2. Drain fat from the pan, then add water and chicken bouillon powder, whisking to blend, and bring to a boil.
3. Add chicken pieces back to the pan, lower the heat, cover, and simmer 20 minutes or until chicken is tender.
4. Remove chicken pieces to a 3 quart casserole.
5. Measure out 2 cups of the chicken broth from the pot, adding water if needed to get the correct amount; set aside for now.
6. Melt remaining butter and saute onions and garlic in the butter until tender, about 5 minutes; remove from heat.
7. Mix together flour, salt, and all seasonings, then sprinkle over the onions, stirring to coat well.
8. Gradually mix in the 2 cups hicken brot until the mixture is smooth.
9. Add tomatoes, crushing them slightly with your hands first.
10. Bring to a boil, lower heat, cover, and let simmer 15 minutes, sitrring occasioanlly (should be thick).
11. Grate the zest from the lime and measure out 2 tsp, then squeeze the juice and measure out 2 Tbsp- add both to the curry sauce, along with the yogurt.
12. Pour sauce over the chicken, turning over the chicken pieces to coat evenly.
13. Let cool 15 minutes, then cover and chill.
14. Before your guests have arrived, preheat oven to 350 F and take the casserole out of the fridge, stirring once.
15. Cover with foil and bake 35 minutes.
16. While it is cooking, combine rice, bouillon powder,and oil in a 2 quart casserole; pour boiling water over rice and stir with a fork.
17. Once the chicken casserole has been in the oven for the 35 minutes, add the rice casserole to the oven as well and cook both for 40 minutes.
18. Fluff rice with a fork before serving.
19. Serve portions of rice topped with chicken pieces and the sauce ladled over the top.