Chicken in Cheese Sauce

Well, since the husband had his way last Saturday, I had mine this weekend. I was in the mood to have something really cheese-y and pizza was just not the answer. Nor was pasta. I didn’t have much time to look up the net for some recipes and lunch hour was too close. I thought up the recipe while cleaning the chicken. Chicken in white sauce! But I didn’t have flour! What about the Amul cheese cubes lying in the fridge? Oh yeah, and the recipe was decided. So, you see, that’s how I plan my menu – everything depends upon the ingredients in hand and not the other way around.

I wish cheese was something which would not tilt the weighing scales; or I would have included it in at least one meal every day! The days I don’t pack lunch for office I gleefully order cheese paranthas or kathi rolls with dollops of cheese. It is another matter that my food attracts the maximum critical eyeing that day.  I remember once I had finished one whole double burst cheese pizza from Dominos when I was carrying. The husband had looked on aghast but could not dare to say anything that might bring the ire of a pregnant woman upon himself. While in Mumbai, I would not budge from the cheese section of Star Bazaar and sis had to literally drag me out. Oh the tribulations of a cheese lover! 

Coming to my recipe, it is an extremely simple one. There is not much chopping or slicing involved. I have super sensitive tear glands which starts working overtime any moment an onion is picked up! You can play around with the ingredients and add your own twists. You can add red and green bell peppers or make the conventional white sauce with flour. I was too lazy and too impatient but the end result was not too bad, thankfully. So, here is my fast and easy way to cook chicken in cheese sauce.

Chicken in Cheese Sauce

Ingredients:

½ kg chicken, cut into medium sized pieces

1 teaspoon garlic, crushed

2 green chillies (I had one red and one green), finely chopped

1 tablespoon vinegar

1 teaspoon pepper

2 tablespoon butter

1 teaspoon refined oil

1 cup milk

2 tablespoon fresh cream

2 cubes of processed cheese, grated

Salt to taste

Method:

Marinate the chicken in pepper and vinegar for around 2 hours. Do not add salt at this stage.

After the chicken is marinated, heat one tablespoon butter and one teaspoon refined oil in a kadai. First, fry the garlic in the butter-oil mixture till golden and then tip in the chicken pieces along with the chillies. Lower the heat and cook covered for around 15 minutes.  Make sure that all the water released by the chicken is evaporated.

Meanwhile, in another wok, put one tablespoon butter and then add the milk. Once the milk comes to a boil, let it simmer and pour in the cream. Finally add the grated cheese and stir well. Keep stirring till the cheese is well blended into the white sauce.  Remove from gas.

Now, pour this cheese sauce over the chicken in the other vessel.  Do not take it off the gas yet. Mix the chicken and the sauce well so that pieces are generously coated. Add salt and some more pepper, if you wish. Let the sauce bubble a bit and then switch off the gas. And tada! Your chicken in cheese sauce is ready!

This recipe is for keeps now that I have realized that it is absolutely hassle free and has scope for so much more. The husband appreciated the garlicky, cheesy taste of the chicken and agrees that this is one of my successful experiments in the kitchen. I hope this recipe works for you, too, and maybe you can let go of counting calories and just savour the dish. And lick it all up, like I did!