Indian Chicken Curry Recipe
Simple Indian chicken curry made delicious, spicy, and hot with minimum ingredients. This is a basic curry that can be tried even by beginners. It pairs great with rice, roti, or paratha.
Simple Indian chicken curry made delicious, spicy, and hot with minimum ingredients. This is a basic curry that can be tried even by beginners. It pairs great with rice, roti, or paratha.
- 2 tbsp oil
- salt as needed
- 4 cloves (or laung)
- 2 inch cinnamon (or dalchini)
- 1 tbsp ginger garlic paste
- â½ kg chicken (or 500 grams (preferably bone-in) )
- 1 cup onions (or 3 medium onions (fine chopped or grate
- 2 green chilies (slit)
- â½ cup tomatoes (finely chopped or puree (deseede
- â½ to 1 cup hot water
- 2 tbsp coriander leaves (chopped or mint or pudina)
- â¼ tsp turmeric powder (or haldi)
- â¾ to 1 tsp red chili powder ((adjust as needed))
- 1 tsp garam masala powder ((adjust to suit your taste))
- 1 leaf (small or tej patta or curry leaves)
- 3 green cardamom (or elaichi)
- 2 tbsp yogurt ( or curd or 10 cashews or 3 tbsp poppy se
- Carbohydrate 0.118466666666667 g
- Cholesterol 0 mg
- Fat 36.0050000730383 g
- Fiber 0.0133333333333333 g
- Protein 0.0121333333333333 g
- Saturated Fat 4.66263334279033 g
- Serving Size 1 1 people (43g)
- Sodium 51.764 mg
- Sugar 0.105133333333333 g
- Trans Fat 1.72923333683844 g
- Calories 319 calories
Step-by-step
- Heat 2 tbsp oil in a pan.
- Add 4 cloves, 2 inch cinnamon, 1 leaf, and 3 green cardamom.
- Add 1 cup finely chopped or grated onions and 2 green chilies, and saute until golden.
- Add 1 tbsp ginger garlic paste and saute until the raw smell goes away.
- Add â½ kg chicken and sear for a few minutes.
- Add â¼ tsp turmeric powder, â¾ to 1 tsp red chili powder, and salt as needed.
- Mix well and cook for a few minutes.
- Add â½ cup finely chopped tomatoes or puree and cook until oil separates.
- Stir in 2 tbsp yogurt or cashew/poppy seed paste if desired.
- Pour in â½ to 1 cup hot water and mix well.
- Cover and simmer until the chicken is tender and cooked through.
- Sprinkle 1 tsp garam masala powder and 2 tbsp chopped coriander leaves.
- Mix well and serve hot.
Operating within a thirty-minute total window requires precise sequencing of aromatic bases rather than rushed execution. Whole spices like cloves, cinnamon, and green cardamom must hit hot oil first to release fat-soluble essential oils into the pan, a process taking roughly thirty seconds. Finely chopped or grated onions then require steady heat to drive off moisture, browning evenly to form the deep flavor foundation of the sauce.
Fresh Aromatics Versus Shelf-Stable Pastes
Using freshly grated ginger and garlic fundamentally alters the aromatic profile compared to commercial jarred alternatives. Fresh cells rupture during grating, releasing potent sulfur compounds and enzymes that mellow into a sharp, savory depth during cooking. Jarred pastes often contain citric acid preservatives that introduce a noticeable sourness, dampening the natural warmth of the spice blend. When substituting fresh tomatoes with canned purees, reduce added water by two tablespoons to maintain the target sauce clinging consistency.
- Water separation from yogurt: Whisk the curd thoroughly before adding to prevent curdling from thermal shock.
- Excessive heat control: Lower the burner setting immediately if whole spices begin to blacken instead of merely browning.
- Salt absorption: Add salt alongside the onions to draw out cellular water and accelerate the browning process.
