Given a choice, both honey and I would opt for chicken breast over any other part – he does it for health sake, I do cos I love the texture of a properly cooked chicken breast over the weirdness of a chicken thigh or drum. Except when making a chicken curry or a biriyani (which truly benefits from the flavour rendered by the bones and the different parts of a full chicken), we always cook breast meat at home so I always try to explore different ways of cooking it.

This particular recipe is somewhat inspired by my ammi and has no proper name – so I would conveniently call it poached chicken breast.  Served with a side salad or a mash and a medley of lightly seasoned boiled veges, it is one of my go to meals for week-night dinners when I really can’t be bothered to do much.

Cast of Characters:

•  1  Chicken Breast (I like to use the breast meat with the bone in as I feel this makes the chicken flavourful and moist)
•  Turmeric, Salt, Vinegar & ground Black Pepper
•  Curry leaves, Garlic and Onions
•  Water and Butter or Olive Oil

How to:

• Make some slits along the chicken breast so that the yummy flavours would penetrate in.
• Into a saucepan add in the chicken breast, turmeric powder, salt, vinegar, black pepper and curry leaves and garlic with about a cup of water, cover and poach for 10-15 mins in a very low flame till the chicken breast has cooked through and almost all of the water has evaporated. Reserve the little bit of leftover liquid for later. The turmeric powder will give it a lovely golden tinge and the combination of garlic, black pepper and vinegar does wonders to the boring old chicken breast.
• Once it has poached, take away from the saucepan and set aside.
• In a separate pan, melt some butter (Or Olive Oil, if better half is around!) and sauté a few onion rings and sliced garlic till lightly golden and remove from the pan.
• Into the same pan (which should have a little bit of butter/oil left), add in the boiled chicken and pan fry and then pour in the reserved poaching liquid (along with the garlic and all) and let it sizzle and slightly thicken.
• Plate the chicken, followed by the little bit of pan juices and the lightly golden onions and garlic and serve with a serving of boiled and cubed beetroot, carrots and a quick mash.