A basic Chicken curry is a perfect comfort food. Chicken curry also known as Chicken Ka salan is a dinner staple in Pakistani/North Indian cuisine. Its one of those dishes that you make when you can’t think of anything else to cook. It can be a quick everyday dinner and also good enough to serve at a formal dinner party. This chicken curry is a simple recipe that’s easy and requires no cream or coconut milk.
Jump to Recipe
HOW TO MAKE CHICKEN CURRY
This recipe is fairly simple and uses very basic spices.
- Chicken : This curry is best made with a whole, skinless chicken that’s cut up into pieces. Boneless chicken doesn’t work for this recipe as the bones are required to give rich taste to the gravy. If you are after a recipe for boneless chicken try Boneless Chicken Karahi or Tawa Chicken.
- Tomatoes: Finely chopped Fresh tomatoes can be used or pulse them in food processor. Canned tomatoes can also be used. I used crushed canned tomatoes.
- Garlic & Ginger: Use fresh ginger and garlic, crushed in mortar and pestle, gives the best taste to the curry.
- Spices: This recipe uses basic spices like red chilli powder, turmeric, cumin seeds, coriander powder, whole blackpepper, cloves and garam masala.
Begin with sautéing the onions, add green chilli, ginger garlic. Add all the spices reserving garam masala. Put little water to deglaze. Add chicken and fry it for few minutes untill it changes colour, the water dries up and the slight colour starts to appear. Add tomatoes and after frying it for a few minutes add water and allow the curry to simmer and thicken up. The consistency of the curry should be thick enough that it can be dipped into naan or scooped along with rice.
TIPS FOR MAKING A PERFECT CURRY
- Avoid making the onions too brown. This makes curry darker in appearance and also effects the taste. You can add splash of water to stop cooking process of onions.
- Once you add the chicken, fry it for few minutes untill it changes colour, its water dries up and the slight colour starts to appear.
- Finely chop the tomatoes or puree them. The larger chunks wont breakdown and the curry will not be smooth.
- Try to use freshly crushed garlic and ginger. The flavour and aroma of freshly crushed garlic ginger is really diffrent to the one from jar.
- Don’t add garam masala along with other spices. Adding garam masala earlier darkens the colour of curry.
WATCH HOW TO MAKE IT
CAN YOU FREEZE THE CURRY
Absolutely! Chicken Curry freezes really well. Thaw the curry and reheat it. The curry thickens up, add boiling water when reheating.
WHAT TO SERVE WITH CHICKEN CURRY
This chicken curry goes with naan, roti or rice as well. Try Easy Naan (Flat Bread) recipe to make naan from scratch. If you prefer rice you can either make steamed rice or Pea Pulao
MORE CHICKEN RECIPES TO TRY
Chicken Korma
Boneless Chicken Karahi
Tandoori Chicken Roast
Chicken Curry
Ingredients
- 700 g Chicken ( with bones and skinless)
- 1 Large Onion Finely Chopped
- 1 tsp Ginger Crushed
- 1 tsp Garlic Crushed
- 2 Small Green Chillies
- 2 Medium Tomatoes finely Chopped or pulsed in food processor See Notes
- 1½ tsp Salt
- 1½ tsp Red Chilli Powder
- 1 tsp Cumin Seeds
- 1 tsp Coriander Powder
- ¼ tsp Turmeric Powder
- 4 Whole Cloves
- 7-8 Whole Blackpepper corns
- ½ tsp Garam Masala
- ¼ cup Oil
- Fresh Coriander/cilantro for garnish.
Instructions
- In a pot heat oil over medium heat and sauté onions untill golden colour appears. Add green chilli, garlic and ginger. Fry for a minute.
- Add all the spices except garam masala. Mix and add ¼ cup of water cook for another 2 minutes untill oil starts to separate.
- Add chicken and fry until it changes colour and its water evaporates.
- Add tomatoes either finely chopped or puree them in food processor. Mix and cook untill moisture from tomatoes is reduced. Add garam masala reserving a little bit.
- Add 2 cups of water and allow it to boil. Turn the flame low and cover. Allow it to simmer for 15-20 minutes.
- Garnish it with coriander /cilantro and sprinkle garam masala.
Notes
- Fresh tomatoes can be used either by finely chopping them or pulse them in food processor. Canned tomatoes can also be used. I used crushed canned tomatoes.
