Weekday Meals That Save You Money and Time: Chicken Curry
When you get home from a long day at work or school, the last thing you want to do is cook. Going out for dinner, though, is a bad idea for a number of reasons. The easy recipes here will save you time and money using that old standby, the crockpot.
Eating out is not a good idea
First, eating out is expensive. In these tough economic times, do you really want to fork over your hard-earned dough for a meal that you could make at home for a fraction of the cost?
Second, even if you choose a restaurant that isn’t a fast-food joint, you still may not get a healthy meal. If you eat organic produce, the salad you pick from Applebee’s may not be made of pesticide-free veggies. Cooking at home gives you more control over what goes into your meal.
Third, in the time you drive to a restaurant, order your meal and eat it, you could have made and eaten a simple dinner at home.
There is a simple solution to your dinnertime dilemma if you have a crock pot. Throw the right ingredients into one of these slow-cookers and you can return home to a dinner that’s ready to be dished up in no more time than it takes to cook a pot of rice. It can save precious time in the evening and money in the long run.
Two easy one-pot meals -- Chicken Curry and Dallas Pork -- are family favorites that can be assembled quickly with just a few ingredients. Dinner will be ready almost as soon as you walk in the door.
Chicken Curry
This Chicken Curry recipe is one my husband adapted from the booklet that came with his first Rival crock pot when he bought it years ago. As a bachelor in the Navy, he sometimes entertained his fellow officers, serving them this curry with fresh-baked rolls and a simple salad. The condiments for the curry can do double duty as toppings for the salad.This chicken curry recipe can be easily doubled or tripled; serving it with the rolls and salad stretches this meal even further.
Warning: if you aren’t familiar with curry, as I wasn’t when my husband first made this for me, you’ll be surprised to see that the sauce is green. Never fear, this is absolutely delicious!
Cook Time
Ingredients
- 2 5.5-6 oz. cans chicken
- 1 can cream of chicken soup
- 1 T curry powder
- 1/4 cup chopped onion, (optional)
- 1 cup sour cream
Instructions
- Open the cans of chicken. Drain one of them and discard the liquid. Put both cans of chicken, including the liquid from one of them, into the crock pot.
- Add the cream of chicken soup, curry powder and onion (if using) into the crock pot. Turn the pot to high for 4 hours.
- About 30 minutes before serving, add the sour cream.
Serve over hot rice with any of the following condiments:
Hard-cooked eggs, chopped
Chutney
Raisins
Bacon bits
Chopped celery
Chopped onion
Chopped nuts
This list is limited only by your imagination and can be adjusted to suit your personal tastes.The idea is to have a variety of textures (soft egg, crunchy celery) and tastes (sweet raisins with strong onions).
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Saving you time and money
The next time you're trying to figure out what to have for dinner the next day, pull your trusty crock pot out from the back of the cupboard, dust it off and try one of these recipes. You'll save money, time and hassle when you do.
