Julie's Baked Chicken Korma & Rice

This is the recipe I came up with to make chicken korma to take to a potluck, based on the excellent korma recipe my husband uses. I wanted to make it in a casserole form that would be easy to just mix together and bake then take in the same pan to the potluck. The folks at the gathering loved it, so I think it came out pretty darn well. :)

• Ready In: 1 hr 10 mins
• Serves: 10-12

Ingredients

• Main ingredients

• 3  cups  cubed skinless chicken breasts or 3  cups skinless chicken thighs
• 2  cups  uncooked white rice

• Sauce

• 1  cup  chopped onion
• 1  cup  sliced mushrooms (optional)
• 1  tablespoon butter
• 1  tablespoon olive oil
• 4  tablespoons smooth cashew butter, warmed in microwave to soften
• 1  cup half-and-half
• 1 (13 1/2ounce) can coconut milk or 1 1⁄2 cups plain yogurt
• 2 (14 1/4ounce) cans chicken broth or 30  ounces homemade chicken broth

• Spices

• 1⁄8 teaspoon cayenne, to taste
• 3  teaspoons turmeric
• 1  teaspoon cinnamon (Ceylon preferred)
• 1⁄2 teaspoon ground cloves
• 1  teaspoon ground coriander
• 2  teaspoons ground cumin
• 3  teaspoons ground cardamom

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.
2. In a large saucepan sauté the chopped onion and sliced mushrooms (if using) in butter and olive oil until onions are opaque.
3. Add spices and the remaining sauce ingredients except for one of the cans of broth (or half of your homemade); simmer for 5 minutes.
4. Turn off heat and add cubed chicken; stir.
5. Put uncooked rice in the bottom a large lightly-oiled lasagne pan and carefully pour the chicken/sauce mixture over (the pan will be pretty darn full).
6. (You can also just mix the rice into the sauce and pour into the pan, but if you do so make sure you evenly distribute the rice on the bottom of the pan.) Bake in 375 degree oven for 30 minutes, add the remaining can of chicken broth into the pan and stir well, then bake for an additional 30 minutes until rice is cooked through.
7. Makes about 10-12 potluck servings.