You know I love to roll my favorite flavors into Meatballs of Love!

The warm Indian spices found in Butter Chicken were the perfect pairing for meatballs. And the sauce is pure heaven!

The Curry Spice Blend

Curry in its most basic form is a type of sauce used in Indian cooking. These sauces or gravies are seasoned with a blend of spices, typically including cumin, turmeric, coriander and others like garam masala (which is a blend on its own) and chili powder.

I’ve found preparing the curry spice blend first when making a recipe like this to be a great time saver. Measure once, use twice.

We’re going to incorporate the same seasoning blend in the meatballs and the curry sauce.

• Ground cumin
• Garam masala
• Ground coriander
• Turmeric
• Red chili powder
• Salt

The Chicken Meatball Ingredients

Ground chicken is a wonderful protein that loves big bold flavors. The meatball ingredients come together quickly!

• Ground chicken
• Onion
• Garlic
• Ginger
• Curry Spice Blend
• Egg
• Panko breadcrumbs

Meatball Preparation

• Mix all the meatball ingredients (except chicken)
• Then add the ground chicken and mix until just combined
• Roll into 1 1/2″ meatballs
• Place on a parchment lined baking sheet
• Bake the meatballs at 400 degrees F. for 20 minutes

The Butter Curry Sauce Ingredients

Like Chicken Tikka Masala, the curry sauce is savory with hints of ginger and garlic. However Butter Chicken also brings a smooth buttery consistency.

• Ghee
• Onion
• Garlic
• Ginger
• Curry Spice Blend
• Tomato paste & sauce
• Chicken broth
• Cream or coconut milk
• Butter
• Salt & sugar to taste

Butter Curry Sauce Preparation

• The sauce begins by sautéing grated onion with melted ghee or butter for 4-5 minutes
• Then the garlic & ginger are added and sautéed for an additional minute
• Add the curry spices and cooked off for a minute
• Add the tomato paste and tomato sauce along with a little chicken broth to bring the ingredients together

• The sauce is then blended until smooth and returned to the pan
• The cream and butter are whisked in
• A final seasoning of salt and a touch of sugar to taste bring the sauce together
• Serve meatballs over basmati rice, covered in curry butter sauce, garnished with fresh cilantro

This sauce is fragrant and full of spice flavor without heat. It’s luscious served over a bed of basmati rice topped with the tender butter chicken meatballs.

Simple Butter Chicken Meatballs over Basmati Rice is on our comfort food rotation!

Don’t forget to follow us @LemonyThyme on Instagram and Facebook! And check out our latest TikTok videos and Pinterest boards too!

All my best,
xo Libby

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Simple Butter Chicken Meatballs Over Basmati Rice

The warm Indian spices found in Butter Chicken were the perfect pairing for meatballs. And the sauce is pure heaven!

Course Entree

Cuisine Indian

Prep Time 10 minutes minutes

Cook Time 25 minutes minutes

Servings 4

Author Libby with Lemony Thyme

Ingredients

For the Curry Spice Blend

• 1 1/2 Tablespoons garam masala
• 1 1/2 Tablespoons ground cumin
• 1 1/2 teaspoons ground coriander
• 1 1/2 teaspoons red chili powder
• 1 1/2 teaspoons turmeric
• 1 1/2 teaspoons salt

For the Chicken Meatballs

• 1 pound ground chicken
• 1/4 cup grated onion squeezed dry in kitchen or paper towel
• 3 cloves fine minced garlic
• 1 Tablespoon grated ginger
• 2 Tablespoons Curry Spice Blend see above
• 1 egg
• 1/3 cup panko breadcrumbs (gluten free for GF Version)

For the Butter Curry Sauce

• 2 Tablespoons ghee or butter
• 1/4 cup grated onion
• 3 cloves fine minced garlic
• 1 Tablespoon grated ginger
• 3 Tablespoons Curry Spice Blend see above
• 1 Tablespoon tomato paste
• 8 ounces tomato sauce
• 1/2 cup chicken broth
• 1/2 cup full fat coconut milk or heavy cream
• 2 Tablespoons butter
• 1/2 teaspoon sugar
• salt to taste

For the Basmati Rice

• 1 cups basmati rice triple rinsed and drained
• 1 Tablespoon ghee or butter
• 1 3/4 cups water
• Cilantro leaves for garnish

Instructions

For the Curry Spice Blend

• Combine the curry spices in a jar.

For the Chicken Meatballs

• Preheat oven to 400° F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Combine all ingredients, except the chicken in a large bowl. Add in the ground chicken and mix until just combined. Roll meatballs into 1 1/2" diameter and place on prepared baking sheet. Bake for 20 minutes.

For the Basmati Rice

• Meanwhile, melt ghee in a skillet with a tight fitting lid. Saute rinsed and drained basmati rice for 2-3 minutes until all grains are nicely coated with ghee. Add water and stir. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to low. Cover and cook an additional 15 minutes or until rice is tender. Fluff with a fork before serving.

For the Butter Curry Sauce

• While meatballs bake and rice cooks, prepare the sauce. Melt ghee in a heavy bottom saucepan. Add in grated onion and saute for 4-5 minutes. Stir in garlic and ginger and cook for an additional minute. Add remaining curry spice blend and stir for 1 minute. Add tomato paste and stir to combine. Then add tomato sauce and chicken broth and whisk until incorporated well. Bring sauce to a gentle boil and simmer for 5 minutes.
• Transfer sauce to a blender and process until smooth. **Careful with hot liquids when removing blender lid** Add sauce back to saucepan and whisk in cream and butter, heat through. Season with sugar and salt to taste.

  Serve meatballs covered in butter curry sauce with a side of basmati rice. Garnish with cilantro leaves.

The post Simple Butter Chicken Meatballs Over Basmati Rice appeared first on Lemony Thyme.

Tender marinated chicken pieces charred and then simmered in a heavenly creamy, rich and moderately spicy sauce.

Sometimes your tastebuds need (and deserve) a trip around the world.

When I set out to prepare a well-known dish such as Chicken Tikka Masala, I spend a good bit of time reading, recreating and recording the process.

As I researched the history of this delightful dish it became clear that the aromatics and the spices were the stars.

What I’ve also found is that there are really two recipes within one….the marinade and the sauce. And both include the same key ingredients.

So for my recipe breakdown below, you’ll see I added a Spice Blend first. This allows you to measure once and use twice and also keeps the ingredients list far less intimidating.

The Marinade

Chicken Tikka Masala begins by marinating chicken pieces in yogurt, aromatics and spices. I used chicken thighs because they love to quickly take on a punchy marinade and remain nice and juicy when cooked. I recommend a minimum of 30 minutes to marinate but an hour or two will nicely intensify the flavors.

The Method

Working in batches, the marinated chicken pieces are pan seared in a smoking hot skillet with ghee until nicely charred, about 2 minutes per side.

Reserve the chicken, wipe the pan to remove any black bits and begin to build the curry sauce.

The Sauce

The sauce begins with sautéed diced onion and freshly grated ginger, followed by minced garlic, a generous amount of spices, and tomato puree.

At this point the aromas wafting through your house will be incredible, fortunately you’re only 15 minutes away from serving!

The sauce is simmered and then pureed in the blender (or remove to a bowl and use an immersion blender).

Return the sauce to the skillet, swirl in the cream and ghee (or butter), and return the charred chicken pieces to the sauce to heat through.

Just like that you’ve recreated Chicken Tikka Masala at home.

Serve Chicken Tikka Masala over basmati rice or with naan bread and a generous sprinkle of fresh cilantro.

This dish is comfort in a bowl. Warm spices, creamy sauce, tender chicken all beautifully balanced. I hope you’ll give this recipe a try and share a comment below.

Don’t forget to follow us @LemonyThyme on Instagram and Facebook! And check out our latest TikTok videos and Pinterest boards too!

All my best,
Libby

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Chicken Tikka Masala

Warm spices, creamy sauce, tender chicken all beautifully balanced in this flavorful dish.

Course Entree

Cuisine Indian

Prep Time 15 minutes minutes

Cook Time 40 minutes minutes

Marinade Time 1 hour hour

Servings 4

Author Libby with Lemony Thyme

Ingredients

For the Spice Blend

• 2 Tablespoons garam masala
• 1 Tablespoon ground cumin
• 1 Tablespoon turmeric
• 1 Tablespoon paprika not smoked
• 1 teaspoon ground coriander
• 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper or more for extra spicy flavor

For the Marinade

• 2 pounds boneless skinless chicken thighs cut into 1" pieces
• 1 cup plain full fat yogurt
• 1 Tablespoon fresh grated ginger
• 1 Tablespoon fresh minced garlic about 3 cloves
• 2 1/2 Tablespoons Spice Blend see above

For the Sauce

• 4 Tablespoons ghee divided
• 1 large onion fine diced
• 2 Tablespoon fresh grated ginger
• 2 Tablespoon fresh minced garlic about 6 cloves
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 3 Tablespoons Spice Blend see above
• 1 14 ounce can tomato puree
• 1/2 cup cream
• 1/2 cup water if needed

To Serve

• 1 1/2 cups Basmati Rice
• 1 handful fresh cilantro leaves chopped
• naan bread optional

Instructions

For the Spice Blend

• Combine ground spices in a jar with a lid and shake to combine.

For the Marinade

• In a large bowl, combine 1 cup yogurt with 1 Tbl. freshly grated ginger and 1 Tbl. freshly minced garlic. Add 2 1/2 Tbl. of Spice Blend, stir to combine. Add chicken pieces and stir to thoroughly coat all pieces. Cover bowl and refrigerate for a minimum of 30 minutes but up to 3 hours.
• Heat a large cast iron or heavy skillet over high heat. Add 1 Tbl. of ghee, heat until smoking. Working in batches, sear the chicken pieces in a single layer, about 2 minutes per side. They should become blackened and charred. Remove pieces to a plate. Add more ghee and sear another batch. Repeat until all chicken has been charred on both sides. Reserve.

For the Sauce

• Wipe the skillet to remove any black bits. Heat skillet over medium heat, add 1 Tbl. ghee and sauté onion and ginger, stirring constantly until onion is translucent. Add minced garlic and salt and cook an additional minute. Sprinkle in remaining spice blend, stir to coat onions and sauté for 1 minute. Stir in tomato puree, reduce heat to low, cover and simmer for 10 minutes.
• Transfer sauce to a blender and puree until smooth or transfer to a bowl and use an immersion blender. Return sauce to pan, stir in cream, 1 Tbl. ghee or butter. Add water, up to 1/2 cup, to achieve desired thickness. Bring to a low simmer, return charred chicken pieces to sauce to heat through.

To Serve

• While making the sauce, prepare basmati rice according to package instructions. To serve, place a serving of rice in each bowl, with 1/4th of the chicken tikka masala. Sprinkle with a generous amount of chopped fresh cilantro. Serve with side of naan bread (optional). Enjoy!

The post Chicken Tikka Masala appeared first on Lemony Thyme.

It’s the perfect side dish for all your Mexican favorite meals. And pairs nicely with Asian dishes as well.

There’s a trick to making this rice. One step that makes all the difference. The reason I can use the word perfect. Do you know what it is?

I have made Cilantro Lime Rice for years, but only recently did I discover this game-changer version from Simply Recipes.

It’s Absolutely Perfect.

Every.

Time!

The said game-changer in this recipe is lightly toasting the rice first like you would do for rice pilaf.

It enhances the flavor and keeps the rice in individual light & fluffy grains instead of sticky & lumpy.

Trust me don’t skip this step. It only takes a couple minutes but makes all the difference!

Lime zest and salt are added to the cooking water, then lime juice, cumin and fresh cilantro are stirred into the cooked perfect rice at the end.

Did I mention perfection?!!

Keep this recipe close at hand. You never know when the family will request a Loaded Burrito Bowl.

Don’t forget to follow us @LemonyThyme on Instagram and Facebook! And check out our latest TikTok videos and Pinterest boards too!

All my best,
xo Libby

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Cilantro Lime Rice

The key to this recipe is lightly toasting the rice first like you would do for rice pilaf. It enhances the flavor and keeps the rice in individual light & fluffy grains.

Course Side Dish

Prep Time 5 minutes minutes

Cook Time 25 minutes minutes

Author adapted from Simply Recipes

Ingredients

• 2 Tablespoons olive oil
• 1 1/2 cups basmati rice
• 1 clove garlic minced
• 2 1/4 cups water
• 1 teaspoon salt
• zest of one lime
• 3 Tablespoons lime juice
• 1 cup fresh cilantro leaves chopped
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin

Instructions

• In a medium saucepan, heat olive oil over medium high heat. Add rice, stirring to coat. Cook until rice begins to brown; stir occassionally. Add the garlic and stir for one minute.
• Stir in the water, lime zest and salt and bring to a boil, then reduce heat to low and cover. Cook undisturbed for 15 minutes. Remove from heat and allow to rest for 10 minutes.
• Fluff rice with fork, then transfer to a serving bowl. Stir in lime juice, cilantro and cumin.

The post Perfect Cilantro Lime Rice Recipe appeared first on Lemony Thyme.

Aaah the aromas….they’re dancing through my kitchen.  As soon as I lifted the lid a smile came across my face.  The sight was beautiful, like an apple pie fresh from the oven beautiful.

And the aromas…cinnamon & clove, toasted cashews & mustard seeds…aaah (the angels in heaven moment).  Looks beautiful, smells awe-mazing, but the taste makes it a ‘winning’ dish.  Thank you Food & Wine for this lovely Spiced Cashew Rice recipe.  Perfect with our Shark Kebobs with Orange-Avocado Salsa.  I will look for excuses to make this dish again.

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Spiced Cashew Rice

As soon as I lifted the lid a smile came across my face.

Course Side Dish

Author Food & Wine

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 cups basmati or other long-grain rice
• 2 1/4 cups water
• 2 cinnamon sticks
• 10 cloves
• 3 bay leaves
• 1/8 tsp. turmeric
• 1 1/2 tsp. salt
• 1 Tbl. butter
• 4 Tbl. canola oil
• 2 tsp. black or yellow mustard seeds
• 1/4 cup chopped roasted, cashews

Instructions

• Rinse the rice until the water runs clear.
• Put the rice in a medium saucepan with the water, cinnamon sticks, cloves, bay leaves, turmeric, and 1 teaspoon of the salt.
• Bring to a boil, reduce the heat to low, and cook, covered, for 15 minutes.
• Remove from the heat and let sit, without removing the lid, for 10 minutes.
• In a small frying pan, melt the butter with 2 tablespoons of the oil over moderately high heat.
• Add the mustard seeds and cook, stirring, until they begin to pop, about 30 seconds.
• Add the cashews; cook, stirring, for 30 seconds longer.
• Gently stir the cashew mixture into the rice with a fork.

The post Spiced Cashew Rice appeared first on Lemony Thyme.