Chicken Masala Recipe
Chicken masala is one of the basic chicken curry recipes from Indian cuisine that tastes delicious, flavorful and mildly spicy.
Chicken masala is one of the basic chicken curry recipes from Indian cuisine that tastes delicious, flavorful and mildly spicy.
- 2 tbsps oil
- â½ kg chicken cubed ((bone-in))
- â¾ tsp ginger garlic paste
- â¼ tsp salt or as needed
- â½ tsp red chili powder ((mild variety like kashm
- â½ tsp turmeric ((or haldi))
- â¾ tsp garam masala ((or chicken masala))
- 2 tbsps curd or yogurt ( (optional))
- 1 leaf or tej patta ((small))
- 2 green cardamoms or elaichi
- 1 stick or dalchini ((small))
- 2 cloves or laung
- 1 cup finely chopped onions
- â¾ tsp ginger & garlic paste
- 1 to 2 green chilies chopped ((milder variety))
- â½ cup tomato puree or finely chopped
- â½ tsp salt or as needed
- â½ to â¾ tsp red chili powder ( (mild variety like
- â½ to â¾ tsp garam masala or chicken masala
- handful mint or pudina leaves ((finely chopped or
- handful coriander leaves ((finely chopped))
- Carbohydrate 3.58191398252548 g
- Cholesterol 0 mg
- Fat 0.0383502567722214 g
- Fiber 0.651954383414591 g
- Protein 0.421852824494436 g
- Saturated Fat 0.016107107844333 g
- Serving Size 1 1 Serving (42g)
- Sodium 1.53401027088886 mg
- Sugar 2.92995959911089 g
- Trans Fat 0.010738071896222 g
- Calories 15 calories
Step-by-step
- Clean and wash chicken well. Drain completely with no excess water.
- Marinate with gingergarlic paste, turmeric, red chilli powder, salt, chicken masala or garam masala.
- Cover & set aside for about 45 mins to 1 hour. It can also be left overnight in the refrigerator.
- Heat oil in a pan or pot. Saute cloves, cinnamon, cardamoms and bay leaf in hot oil for a min. You can also add curry leaves if you have.
- Add green chilies and onions. Saute them until the onions turn completely golden.
- Add ginger garlic paste and saute until the raw smell goes off.
- Add tomato puree, salt, red chili powder and garam masala.
- Saute this very well until the mixture begins to leave the pan. At this stage you can also see oil getting separated from the mixture.
- Add marinated chicken and saute for 4 to 5 mins on a medium flame.
- Turn the flame to completely low and cook covered for 5 mins.
- Flip the chicken pieces and mix everything well. Add coriander leaves or mint leaves and give a stir.
- Cover the pan again and continue to cook on a low heat until chicken is completely cooked to soft and tender. Chicken gets cooked in its own moisture, so don't need to add water.
- Add half tsp more garam masala and chilli powder while cooking the tomato puree.
- Add little hot water or coconut milk to make a gravy. Cook until the gravy turns thick.
- Serve chicken masala hot with steamed rice, roti, sliced onion wedges and lemon.
The written ingredient list for chicken masala tells you what components to gather, but it remains entirely silent on how moisture migration and pan geometry affect the final sauce. When you double or triple a batch, onions release significantly more water into the pan, extending the time required to reach the stage where oil separates from the tomato base by up to eight minutes. Conversely, halving the recipe requires a smaller pan diameter; scaling down into a skillet that is too wide causes the tomato puree and aromatics to scorch before the chicken releases its internal juices.
- When multiplying the protein beyond two kilograms, increase the whole spices by only fifty percent rather than scaling them linearly, as cardamom and cloves compound aggressively during prolonged simmering.
- Heavy-bottomed stainless steel or tri-ply copper vessels distribute heat evenly across high-output burners, preventing localized burning during the crucial tomato reduction phase.
- If a dedicated heavy skillet is unavailable, a well-seasoned cast iron Dutch oven functions as an effective substitute, retaining sufficient thermal mass to cook the chicken gently on low heat without scorching.
- Store leftovers in an airtight glass container for up to three days; reheat gently on the stovetop with a tablespoon of water to reconstitute the separated emulsion.
Adjusting proportions successfully relies on monitoring visual cues like oil separation rather than strictly adhering to a kitchen timer. Mastering these volume shifts ensures consistent flavor concentration regardless of batch size.
