Quick, Flavourful Goan Chicken Stew

Goan Stew Recipe with Chicken

Let me share with you my recipe for a comforting and delicious Goan chicken stew. The traditional stew is made with pork and beef, though sometimes also with chicken. Neither beef nor pork being available where I live, I’m making a tasty chicken stew. Like the pork and beef stew, this one too is mildly spiced, loaded with veggies and macaroni, and has a deliciously smooth gravy.

This Goan stew recipe is a hot favourite in the Goan community. Hardly any family celebration or party is complete without delicious Goan chicken stew or pork and beef stew on the menu. This is not only a nutritious dish, but thanks to its characteristic flavours, also the ultimate comfort food. Do check out the video for useful tips.

Some other chicken recipes you might like to take a look at would be my delicious chicken xacuti and classic chicken potato chops.

Ingredients

450g boneless chicken breast

1 ½ inch ginger piece

6 garlic cloves

2 green chillies

½ tsp + ½ tsp salt

½ tsp + 1 tsp pepper powder

3 cinnamon sticks (1 inch each)

8 cloves

4 green cardamom pods

2 chicken / vegetable stock cubes

100g (¾ cup) chopped onions

100g (½ cup) chopped tomatoes

100g (¾ cup) potatoes, cubed

100g (½ cup) carrots, cubed

50g (¼ cup) green peas

75g (¾ cup) elbow macaroni pasta

3 tbsp butter

2 tbsp oil

¼ cup milk

¼ cup cream

2 tsp whole wheat flour

Procedure

1. Grind the ginger, garlic, and green chillies to a paste. Chop the chicken into small pieces, around ½ inch bits. Mix the chopped chicken with ½ tsp salt, ½ tsp pepper powder, and the ginger, garlic, and green chilli paste. Cover this and let the chicken marinate for 30 minutes.
2. To 4 cups of boiling water, add the macaroni. Add in ½ tsp salt and ½ tbsp butter. Boil the macaroni for 6 – 7 minutes or till it is al dente (has a slight bite to it and is not too soft). Scoop out and transfer the macaroni to a bowl. Save the macaroni water to be used later on in the recipe.
3. Next, in a pot / wok, heat 1 tbsp oil + 1 tbsp butter on medium heat. Add the whole spices. Sauté these for a few seconds. Add the marinated chicken pieces. Sauté these till they change colour. Add in ½ cup of the macaroni water and cover the vessel. Let the chicken cook on low heat for around 5 minutes or till it’s almost done. Remove it to a bowl along with the stock. Pick out the fried whole spices from the chicken mix and discard them.
4. In the same vessel in which the chicken was cooked, heat 1 tbsp oil and 1 tbsp butter. Sauté the onions till they become soft and are about to start browning. Add the tomatoes. Sauté these too till they soften.
5. Then add the cooked chicken with the stock. Stir everything. Add the stock cubes and stir till they get dispersed into the mix.
6. Add ¼ cup of the macaroni water. Stir in the potatoes and carrots. Cover the vessel and let them cook for around 5 minutes or till they’re almost cooked.
7. Now add another ¼ cup of the macaroni water and the green peas. Let these cook for a minute. 8. Add the milk and milk cream and remaining 1 tsp pepper powder. Stir everything well.
8. Make a slurry with the wheat flour and around 2 tbsp of the macaroni water. Stir this into the stew. Cook the stew for a minute more.
9. Next, add in the cooked macaroni and stir this carefully with the rest of the stew ingredients. Mix in ¼ cup more of the macaroni water.
10. Finally, add the remaining ½ tbsp butter. Mix this carefully into the stew. Taste the stew and add more salt if necessary. Turn off the heat. (There should be at least ¼ cup of liquid left in the stew or it will turn out to be too dry.)

Enjoy!