Chicken and Grapes in a Creamy Chardonnay Sauce with Curried Rice

This post is dedicated to Anna Uhlig, Karl’s mom. 

Amazing moms go above and beyond for their family, and Anna treats everyone as if they were family. She has been called a “living saint” and is one of the kindest people I have ever met – this is not a bold statement, as most people who know her would say the same. I often wonder how her huge heart fits inside her small frame! 

A little about Anna…

She grew up in Little River, Kansas, a small town of about 550 people. Anna met her husband Paul when she was a freshmen at the University of Kansas. They have four handsome sons, Paul Kenneth, Karl, Robert, and Evan. She is a very talented musician and skilled in the art of multitasking. 

When Karl comes home to visit, the family gets really excited because not only do they get to see him, but a visit from Karl means chicken and grapes with curried rice for dinner! This is one of Karl’s favorite dishes his mom makes. I love this dish too and have played around with it to make it my own. 

The curried rice is cooked with chopped apples and onions. It’s absolutely decadent and pairs perfectly with the creamy wine sauce and chicken. It’s the perfect dish for a small dinner party if you’re looking to surprise your guests with a gourmet meal. 

Diced Apples | Sprig and Flours
I use to be afraid of fruit in savory foods (ex. hawaiian pizza). Now I am a believer, thanks to this dish. 

I recommend starting on the rice first. When the rice is cooking, you can work on the chicken and sauce. 

Curry Powder and Rice | Sprig and Flours
You can use any kind of rice you like, but I prefer cooking with medium grain rice. 

Curry Rice with Apples and Onions | Sprig and FloursChicken, Grapes, Shallots | Sprig and Flours Chicken Pieces | Sprig and Flours

I think we can all agree that dry chicken is bad chicken. If you slice the chicken breast into thin pieces and cook it until it is just no longer pink, then quickly remove it from the heat, it’ll come out perfect in the end.

Chicken and Grapes in a Creamy Chardonnay Sauce | Sprig and Flours

Chicken and Grapes with Curry Rice 6 | Sprig and Flours copyChicken and Grapes with Curry Rice 7 | Sprig and Flours

Chicken and Grapes with Curry Rice 8 | Sprig and Flours

Chicken and Grapes in a Creamy Chardonnay Sauce with Curried Rice
 
Author:
Ingredients
For the rice:
  • 3 tablespoons butter
  • 1 cup onion, finely chopped
  • 3 cloves garlic, finely minced
  • 2 cups Fuji apple, cored & diced into small (1/8 in) cubes
  • 1 bay leaf
  • 2 cups rice
  • 2 tablespoons curry powder
  • 3 cups chicken broth
For the chicken:
  • 2 lbs chicken breast
  • 1 cup small red grapes
  • 3 tablespoons butter
  • salt and pepper
  • 1 shallot, finely chopped
  • ¾ cup chardonnay
  • 2 cups half and half or heavy cream
  • 2 tablespoons dried parsley
Instructions
For the rice:
  1. Over medium heat, melt the butter in a large pan.
  2. When the butter is hot, add the onions and garlic and cook until the onions are soft, about 5 minutes.
  3. Add the diced apples, bay leaf, and rice, then stir in the curry powder.
  4. Pour in the chicken broth and bring to a boil.
  5. Reduce the heat to medium-low, cover, and cook for 20 minutes.
  6. Fluff with a fork, then set aside.
For the chicken:
  1. Slice the chicken into thin square pieces (1/2 inch thick), then set aside.
  2. In a large saute pan, melt the butter over medium heat.
  3. When the butter is melted, turn the heat up to high and add the chicken. Season with salt and pepper.
  4. Stirring constantly, cook until the chicken is no longer pink and just barely cooked through, about 4 minutes. Plate the chicken and leave the juices in the pan.
  5. Add the shallots to the pan and cook for 2 minutes.
  6. Pour in the chardonnay and cook until half the liquid has evaporated.
  7. Pour in the juices that have gathered on the plate from the chicken, then stir in the half and half. Add the grapes, then season with salt and pepper.
  8. Cook for 4-5 minutes, then return the chicken to the pan. Cook for another 2-3 minutes, then remove it from the heat.
  9. Sprinkle with dried parsley and serve with curry rice.

Bon appetit! 

9 comments

  1. Anna Uhlig says:

    thank you Connie for the dedication! You are so sweet to do this. I’m so glad you’ve made this your own (and I’ll bet Karl is too). As usual your photos and recipe look tasty & tempting! I will try your version soon.

  2. Diana says:

    Wow this looks amazing! Which cuisine is this from? And you’re really good with photography 🙂 I also noticed that we are using the same theme!

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