“Bright” Chicken Curry

by Christa Upton
(South Dakota)

Recipe 26 with the Solar Hot Pot

“Bright” Chicken Curry

10:00 am—3 T. butter: cut in pieces and put in Hot Pot, cover, set up facing the sun, set timer for 30 minutes.

Then prep:

1 onion (chop)
2 cloves garlic (smash with side of knife and then mince)
1 T curry powder (or more) (sprinkle on veggies)
1/4 t. (or more) ground cayenne (sprinkle on veggies)
salt (and pepper) to taste (sprinkle on veggies)

10:30 am—veggies and seasonings: quickly add to Hot Pot, quickly stir into butter, cover, set timer for 30 minutes.

11:00 am—

3 chicken leg and thighs, cut apart (6 pieces of chicken)
29 oz. canned tomatoes (drained—drink the juice or save for soup later):

add, putting thickest pieces of chicken toward the outer edges of Pot and pouring tomatoes over chicken.

Set round baking rack in top of cooker. Put thermometer in, touching food (do not insert into meat) and letting the baking rack ‘hold it up’ for easy reading later.

Cover, adjust to sun, set timer for 90 minutes.

12:30 pm—check Hot Pot temperature by peeking through lid (don’t lift lid, just jiggle the Pot carefully to get the condensation off the inside of the lid).

If not up to 150 degrees, panic. (Just kidding. But for food safety, if it is not up to 150 degrees by 1 pm, give the food a quick boost with higher heat.)

If temperature is at least 150, adjust to sun, set timer for 90 minutes.

2:00 pm—check Hot Pot temperature (especially on partly cloudy days)—must be above 150, adjust to sun, set timer for 90 minutes.

Also, if you have another Hot Pot, you can do the rice in it!

Another solar cook mentioned cutting back on the ratio of water to rice, helping it cook quicker, so we’re going to try that!

2:45 pm—preheat another Hot Pot by covering and setting up facing the sun.

3:00 pm—put in Pot:

1 c. water
1 T butter
1/2 t. salt
1 c. dry white rice

Cover. Check in 30 – 90 minutes. Stir in a handful of raisins or currants when done.)

3:30 pm—check chicken Hot Pot temperature. If it is still above 150, then you are probably okay to do what we do—let it coast/cook more until 5:00, because we like a 5:00 suppertime better than 4:00. (smile) Adjust to sun, set timer for 90 minutes.


When ready to eat, make sure chicken is fully cooked by pushing thermometer into the thickest part of the center piece of meat but not touching bone. It should read at least 165 degrees Fahrenheit. Serve over rice or pasta.



Amazing, savory, juicy flavor. We are finding that as long as we’re home to step outside now and then, (and there’s sun), it is easier to reach for the Solar Hot Pot than a traditional crock pot, and the flavors are far superior. I believe they say that flavors are intensified in the Solar Hot Pot because you do not need as much water to cook. Also cooking the veggies in butter beforehand brings out sweetness. And the meat gains depth of flavor from the charring—sun rays cooking from the top. And let’s not forget the advantage of no heat inside, no smoke outside, saving electricity, and the happy feeling you get from cooking with the sun successfully.... (smile)