Turn rotisserie chicken into a quick curry
By J.M. HIRSCH, AP Food Editor Wednesday, March 19, 2008If ever the rotisserie chicken cookers of America went on strike, our nation would be doomed.
Without these utilitarian birds -- which now come barbecued and organic in additional to the traditional roasted version -- how would busy families get dinner to the table?
These chickens are most valuable as ingredients that can easily be transformed into meals that would take hours to prepare without the aid of the rotisserie.
For example, toss the meat from a still-hot bird with jarred pesto, then toss that with whole-wheat pasta and a bit of steamed broccoli. Shave a bit of Parmesan over it for a complete meal in about 20 minutes.
Or for a Middle Eastern approach, arrange the meat from the bird on a serving platter. Provide each diner with a bowl of hummus, some roasted or steamed vegetables and a few flatbreads, then let them make their own wraps.
This recipe uses the meat from a 2-pound rotisserie roasted chicken. Tossed with a few ingredients and served over a bed of quick-cooking couscous, this produces a luscious chicken curry.
Be sure to use fresh curry powder when making recipes such as this. If it's been in your cabinet for a year or more, toss it out and get a fresh bottle.
QUICK CHICKEN CURRY
Start to finish: 30 minutes
Servings: Four to six
1 cup water
1 cup couscous
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 medium yellow onion, diced
3 cloves garlic, minced
2 large carrots, cut into matchsticks
1 cup golden raisins
1 tablespoon curry powder
Meat from a 2-pound rotisserie roasted chicken
1 cup coconut milk
Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
3 scallions, thinly sliced
In a small saucepan, bring the water to a boil. Turn off the heat. Add the couscous, stir once, then cover and let sit until the rest of the recipe is complete.
In a large skillet, heat the oil over medium-high. Add the onion, garlic, carrots and raisins and saute until the onions are just tender, about 5 minutes.
Add the curry powder, and cook, stirring often, for three minutes. Add the chicken and coconut milk, and bring to a simmer, stirring often. Season with salt and pepper.
Transfer the couscous to a large serving bowl, and fluff with a fork. Add the scallions, and toss to combine. Spoon the chicken curry over the center of the couscous.
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