New Orleans Chicken Curry

2 tablespoons plus 1 1/4 teaspoons curry powder
1 tablespoon Chef Paul Prudhomme's Poultry Magic®
¾ teaspoon ground cinnamon
½ teaspoon ground turmeric
½ teaspoon ground corriander
1 pound boneless chicken, cut into bite-size pieces, about 2 cups
4 tablespoons unsalted butter
3 cups chopped onions
5 tablespoons chopped jalapeno peppers
2 cups unpeeled chopped apples, in all
1 cup sliced bananas
½ cup raisins
½ cup pecan pieces, roasted
1½ cups chicken stock
¾ cup unsweetened coconut milk
½ cup coconut flakes, lightly packed
4½ cups hot cooked rice

Thoroughly combine the Seasoning Mix ingredients in a small bowl.

Season the chicken evenly with 1 tablespoon of the Seasoning Mix .

In a 4-quart saucepan combine the butter, onion, jalapeño peppers and the remaining Seasoning Mix . Stir frequently over high heat until the butter melts, about 5 minutes. Reduce heat to medium and cook for 20 minutes, stirring and scraping occasionally. Add half of the apples, the bananas, raisins and pecans. Cook, stirring frequently, until mixture is fairly mushy, about 20 minutes. (Add a little more butter if the mixture seems too dry.)

Increase the heat to high and add the chicken and the remaining apples. Stir frequently until the chicken becomes opaque, about 3 minutes. Add the remaining ingredients except the rice and stir and scrape the pan well. Reduce the heat to medium and simmer for 15 minutes. Serve ¾ cup of sauce and ¾ cup of rice per person.

Copyright © 1999 by Paul Prudhomme