Creamy Turmeric Chicken Skillet
This chicken recipe uses both fresh and dried turmeric to boost its flavor, color, and overall healthfulness. To highlight its brilliant color, a bit of heavy cream is added to the simmer sauce so the whole dish is bathed in a yellow glow. This sauce is so good you’ll want to be sure to serve it alongside a heap of fluffy jasmine or basmati rice, so not a drop is left behind.
INGREDIENTS
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 1 medium yellow onion, thinly sliced
- 1 tablespoon peeled and minced fresh turmeric root
- 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt, plus more for seasoning
- 1 1/2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken thighs
- 1 1/2 teaspoons ground turmeric
- 1/2 cup heavy cream
- 1/2 cup low-sodium chicken broth
- Cooked basmati or jasmine rice, for serving
- Chopped fresh cilantro leaves and tender stems, for garnish
INSTRUCTIONS
- Melt the butter in a 12-inch or larger skillet over medium heat. Add the onion, fresh turmeric, pepper, and 1/2 teaspoon of the salt. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the onions are softened, about 5 minutes. Meanwhile, place the chicken on a large plate with the smooth-top side facing up. Season with salt and all of the ground turmeric.
- Push the onions to the outer edges of the pan and place the chicken, seasoned-side down, in a single layer in the middle of the pan. Season the chicken with more salt. Cook, undisturbed, until the chicken just begins to brown, no longer than 3 to 4 minutes (any longer and the turmeric will start to burn).
- Using tongs, flip the chicken and cook for 2 minutes more. Cook for 1 minute, pour in the cream and broth, and stir gently to combine.
- Reduce heat to medium-low, cover, and cook until the chicken is tender and cooked through, and registers at least 165°F on an instant-read thermometer, 18 to 22 minutes. Serve over rice and garnish with cilantro.
Turmeric is the golden darling of good health. This brilliant orange-fleshed root (in the same family as ginger) is beloved for its anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties, not to mention the colorful hue it lends to food. Most cooks are familiar with the dried orange-yellow powder found in the spice aisle, which lends a bitter pungency to foods across India and the Caribbean. Now it is available in supplement form where you can take as a form of capsules!