Chicken Curry {freezer friendly - makes 3 meals}

Becca here with another of my family's favorite freezer recipes.  My oldest daughter in particular likes this chicken curry, and literally used a spatula to lick the bowl clean of the last bit of sauce last time I made it!  If you haven't tried curry before, or have the misconception that all curry is spicy (it's not!), this is a great, very mild, introduction to the flavor.  Actual curry powder is a mixture of spices that can vary widely from country to country, and even region to region.  Here in good ole Arkansas, I buy it premixed at the grocery store, and it's generally a bright gold color, and has a very distinctive but not spicy flavor.  It's my understanding that the more red you see in the curry, the spicier it's going to be, due to the addition of different peppers.  So I promise this isn't "spicy" or "hot" at all, the sauce is very creamy, and is a great new flavor to introduce to your kids!  And if you've been reading the blog long, you know that freezer meals that can be reheated in the slow cooker are my very favorite kind!  I normally serve it over rice, and with frozen green peas for some reason :)  I follow the recipe in this cookbook fairly closely.  Enjoy!

Chicken Curry
{freezer friendly - makes 3 large meals}

6 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cooked and cut into bite-sized pieces (I do this in the slow cooker)
1 cup butter (2 sticks)
2 large onions, chopped
1/4 cup curry powder (I fill mine very full, piled up on top)
1 Tablespoon dried ginger powder
2 Tablespoons minced garlic
2 Tablespoons sugar (I use organic cane sugar)
2 Tablespoons chicken bouillon (check the ingredients here, and be aware of what you're buying, there are drastic quality differences!)
2 Tablespoons salt
1 cup flour (I use 100% whole wheat, hard white wheat I've milled)
4 cups water
4 cups milk (I use whole)
2 Tablespoons lemon juice

Divide chicken evenly among 3 gallon freezer bags (for my family of almost 6, we have plenty to eat for a main dish and my husband to take to work for lunch once or twice; for a smaller family, you could easily divide into 4 or maybe even more bags).

Melt butter in a large pot on medium heat.  Add chopped onions and cook, stirring occasionally, for about 5 minutes or until they're soft and translucent (about 5 minutes). 

Add curry powder, dried ginger, garlic, sugar, bouillon and salt and continue to cook, while stirring occasionally, for 2 minutes.  Add the flour and cook for 2 additional minutes.  If you haven't made a cream sauce before, don't be alarmed by the thick, pasty texture of your mixure at this point; that's the way it's supposed to be, just keep cooking and stirring!! 

Slowly & gradually pour in milk and water, continuing to stir constantly until sauce is smooth.  Cook until it sauce starts to thicken.  Add lemon juice only after this point.

Divide sauce evenly over chicken in bags.  Seal tightly and freeze.

When ready to use:  Defrost overnight in the refrigerator.  Heat in slow cooker on low 2-3 hours before serving (you can heat it a bit longer than this, just add a bit more milk to make sure that the sauce doesn't dry out).  OR, heat until sauce starts to bubble in large pan over medium heat; don't allow to boil.