Chicken Jaipur

Recently, I heard Nigella Lawson refer to yellow raisins as "sultanas."

It sounded.  So.  Fancy.

Inspired, I decided to make something that sounded equally fancy and exotic, and, preferably, included sultanas.  Conveniently located on the top of my ever-growing stack of meals to try, I found a recipe ripped from a recent Penzeys Spices catalogue called "Chicken Jaipur."  Don't have a clue to pronounce it, but it sure looks fancy and exotic.  Bonus, the recipe recommends sprinkling sultanas on top.  PERFECTION!

P.S. Don't know why I am italicizing sultanas, but it seems like the right thing to do.

Chicken Jaipur
Adapted from Penzeys Spices
Serves: 8

3 pounds boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into bite-sized pieces
3 cups chicken stock
1 1/2 tablespoons butter
1 large onion, chopped
1 clove garlic, minced
1/4-1/3 cup curry powder
3 tablespoons crystallized ginger, minced
1/8-1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1/8 teaspoon ground black pepper
1/8 teaspoon ground cloves
1 1/2 cups coconut milk
2 tablespoons lime juice
1 cup half and half

For serving (pick your favorite toppings!):
Cooked white or jasmine rice
Crumbled bacon
Coconut
Sultanas
Chopped cashews or peanuts
Green onions, very thinly sliced
Mango chutney

Place the chicken breasts in a medium pan and cover with chicken stock.  Bring the liquid to a boil.  Cover, reduce heat, and simmer until the chicken is cooked through, about 10 minutes.  Remove the chicken from the pot and set aside.  Reserve 1 1/2 cups of the cooking liquid.

Heat the butter in a large skillet or Dutch oven over medium-high heat.  Add the onion and saute until softened and gold, about 8-10 minutes.  Add the garlic, curry powder, crystallized ginger, cayenne, pepper, and cloves.  Stir until the spices are fragrant, about 1 minute.  Add the coconut milk and reserved 1 1/2 cups chicken stock.  Cover and simmer for 20-30 minutes.  Add the chicken to the curry, cover, and simmer for 20-30 minutes longer.  Stir in the lime juice and the half and half.  Cook for another 5-10 minutes.

Serve the chicken jaipur over cooked white rice.  Top with your favorite condiments.  (The husband goes for coconut and sultanas.  I like coconut, cashews, green onions, and sultanas.  Lots of sultanas.)