Indian-Spiced Chicken & Potato Stew

I spent the morning with my husband shoveling our car out of the heavy snowfall.. without shovels! We ended up using boxes and wooden boards that we found around the house to get the job done. Although the general ridiculousness of the situation gave us both a big laugh, hard labor in below freezing weather is not fun. Cold days such as these call for warm, hearty stews.

I came up with this recipe about a year ago when I wanted a creamy stew with rich Indian flavors. The addition of  coconut milk tones down the acidity of the tomatoes and allows the cilantro to shine without taking over the show. It's savory, spicy, and a special treat for your chilly days. 

WHAT YOU NEED
2 cups chicken broth
13.5 oz can coconut milk
28 oz can crushed tomatoes
3 medium-sized chicken breasts, cooked and shredded
3 tablespoons ginger root, minced
1 cup fresh cilantro, chopped
3 cups potatoes, diced
2 teaspoons garlic powder
3 tablespoons garam masala powder
1 teaspoon black pepper
1 teaspoon onion powder
1/4 cup flour (for quicker thickening)
2 tablespoons sugar
1 teaspoon salt, or to taste 
Optional: Naan for dipping

Pour chicken stock, coconut milk, and crushed tomatoes into a large pot on medium-high heat and cook until boiling. While stock mixture  is warming, shred chicken, mince ginger, chop cilantro, and dice potatoes. 

Once the mixture is boiling, add in chicken, ginger, cilantro, and potatoes. Reduce to medium heat and allow to cook for 10 minutes covered. Stir in garlic powder, garam masala, black pepper, onion powder, and sugar.   

 In a separate small bowl, whisk 1 cup of the stew and 1/4 cup of flour together until smooth. If it clumps, add more liquid from the stew to the flour. This will prevent your flour from clumping in the pot of stew. Stir the stew-flour mixture back into the large pot of stew and allow to cook covered for 25-30 minutes, stirring occasionally.  During the last few minutes, add in salt to taste. Because I typically make my own very, lightly salted chicken stock, I use 2 teaspoons of salt. However, if you are using store-bought salted chicken stock, 1 teaspoon should be sufficient. Remember to taste as you add salt to prevent over-salting. Serve in a bowl and enjoy with naan!