Murgh Dopiaza - Indian Chicken curry with 2 onions

My version of a classic Indian dish was a finalist in the annual Newman's Own recipe contest and earned $10,000 for Amnesty International and a trip to New York to meet Paul Newman and friends.

Dopiaza means 2 onions in Hindi and refers to the 2 different cooking methods for the onions in this recipe.

Ingredients
1 chicken, cut into serving pieces, or 8 chicken thighs

Olive oil for frying

2 large onions, sliced

Fry spices:

• 1/2 t turmeric
• 1/2 t cayenne
• 1/2 t cinnamon
• 1/2 t cumin
• 2 T paprika
• salt & pepper to taste
• 1 T fresh ginger, minced
• 2-4 cloves garlic, minced

2 cups tomatoes, crushed (fresh or canned)

1 medium onion, minced

1. In a large skillet, fry the onion slices in olive oil over medium heat until transparent. Sprinkle with a little sugar to aid carmelizing.  10-15'. Remove to a small bowl.

2. Place the turmeric, cayenne, cinnamon, cumin, paprika and salt & pepper in a large plastic bag. Add the chicken pieces, and shake until well coated. Fry the chicken in the onion pan, 5 minutes on each side. Layer the chicken in a baking pan.

3. Mix the tomatoes, minced onions, ginger and garlic. Pour over the chicken. Layer the fried onion slices on top. Bake at 350 for 1 hour. Serve with rice.