When you think curry, chances are potatoes and chicken come to mind. But we think you also should consider apples.

Though not necessarily a traditional touch for curry, apples work deliciously well with the big, spicy flavors of the dish. In fact, there is very little that is traditional about the curry we have assembled here, but we’re not all that worried about it. It’s so delicious, the name almost seems irrelevant.

A quick saute of vegetables and chicken – along with those aforementioned apples – is tied together with a creamy curry sauce. To keep the autumnal feel, we threw in some dried cranberries and topped it with toasted almonds. We also served it over rice, but you could opt for egg noodles.

 

CREAMY APPLE CURRY CHICKEN

Start to finish: 40 minutes

Servings: 4

1/4 cup (1/2 stick) butter

1 large yellow onion, cut into 1-inch chunks

1 green bell pepper, cored and cut into 1-inch chunks

1 red bell pepper, cored and cut into 1-inch chunks

2 cups cauliflower florets

1 pound boneless, skinless chicken thighs, cut into bite-size cubes

3 medium apples, peeled, cored and diced

2 tablespoons curry powder (hot or mild, to taste)

1 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper

3 tablespoons all-purpose flour

1 1/2 cups milk

1/3 cup dried cranberries

1/3 cup toasted slivered almonds

In a large, deep skillet over medium-high heat, melt the butter. Add the onion and saute until tender, about 6 to 7 minutes. Add both bell peppers, the cauliflower and chicken. Cook until the vegetables are just tender and the chicken is cooked through, about 10 to 12 minutes.

Add the apples, curry powder, salt and pepper. Cook until the apples are just tender, about 3 to 5 minutes. Sprinkle the flour over everything, stirring to coat. Add the milk and cranberries, stirring and cooking until the sauce comes to a simmer and thickens. Serve sprinkled with toasted almonds.