Indian Tomato Chicken

Gluten-free, Soy-free, Nut-Free, Dairy-Free

I have only recently discovered Indian food, but have come to appreciate sour, sweet, savory hint of spice.  This dish cooks for 2+ hours on stove, but the layers of flavor locked in are worth the wait.  I served it over rice with a side of steamed veggies.  I did not have any chutney, so we used some peach jam on top instead. I added some bits of Parmesan-type cheese to add some creamy-nuttiness.

1/3 cup dehydrated onions (or 1 large onion, minced)
1 tsp dehydrated minced garlic (4 cloves, pressed)
1 tsp ground ginger (1 slice ginger root, minced)
1 TBS olive oil
2 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp ground tumeric
1 tsp salt
1 tsp ground black pepper
1/2 tsp ground cardamom (or cloves)
1 (1 inch) piece cinnamon stick
2 bay leaves
1/4 tsp ground nutmeg
6 skinless chicken thighs (or chicken breasts)
1 (14.5 oz) can diced tomatoes

Add all ingredients to skillet except chicken and tomatoes.  Stir to combine well; saute for 1-2 minutes.  Add chicken and brown all sides with spices (about 4 minutes cooking).  Pour tomatoes over chicken, and reduce heat to low. Cover and cook for 1-2 hours until meat reaches temperature 160 degrees for boneless, 170 degrees for bone-in.

Notes:
If using any fresh onion, garlic, or ginger root saute` in oil over medium heat for 10 min, stirring continuously.  The chicken breast are too uneven in thickness to sub directly; I cut them in to 2x4 inch tenders. I removed the lid for the last half of cooking, which helped to thicken the sauce with evaporation.  The risk is loosing too much, just be close enough to watch.