Chicken Curry With Baby Spinach

My obsession-of-late with curry (and, it seems, chicken) continues!

After a (gloriously) red-meat-filled Memorial Day, I thought we should have a light Tuesday supper (especially since it was 85 degrees and muggy out), and opted for an extremely simplified take on chicken curry with baby spinach and tomatoes, served over rice with green peas.

This dish is quick, easy, and healthier than most things I make. It serves two, and you might have enough left over for one person’s lunch.

I started by sautéing a diced onion in a melted pat of butter in a large skillet over medium heat, until it was soft and translucent.

Then I added a few minced garlic cloves and about a pound of boneless, skinless chicken breast that I had sliced into half-inch-thick medallions (i.e., across the short side). I sprinkled a tablespoon or so of curry powder and some kosher salt and pepper, squirted on half a lemon’s worth of juice, and tossed the chicken in the pan so it was evenly coated.

When the chicken pieces were white on one side (about 5 minutes), I flipped them and let them cook until white on that side too. I added a diced tomato, a few sprigs’ worth of fresh thyme leaves, a splash of chicken stock, and another squirt of lemon juice. Then I stirred in a generous dollop (say a tablespoon or two) of sour cream, lowered the heat to medium-low, and covered the pan. You could skip the sour cream, but it gives a nice thick consistency.

After about another five minutes, taste the sauce and see if it needs any more salt, lemon juice, thyme, or curry powder, or any other seasoning of your choice. When it’s tasty to your taste, stir in a couple handfuls of baby spinach. You could use a few handfuls of frozen chopped spinach instead -- although if you go this route, you should probably add it when you add the liquids in the previous paragraph so it has time to defrost.

Cover the pan for another minute while you add a scoop of rice (couscous would be good, too) to a plate or bowl, then ladle the curry on top of or beside the rice.

I served this with green peas, as mentioned, and a Malbec rosé that was very refreshing on the hot and humid night. The Rob said more than once that the dish was delicious, although he offered that it could have used a bit more of a kick. I might add some paprika or dried red pepper flakes next time, but I’m not sure I concur with his suggestion of jalapenos. Hey, if it sounds good to you, try it and comment below to let me know how it is.