Easy Recipe of Chicken Curry: 4 Quick Tips

Craving a flavourful and authentic Indian chicken curry? Look no further! This recipe is simple, easy, and packed with flavours. Why don’t give a try today!

Isn’t it a good idea to impress your friends and family with a homemade Indian chicken curry. I am here to share an easy, comforting and home style chicken curry that tastes just wow…

Although there are several variations of Indian chicken curry (please refer – variations of Indian chicken curry) available across different regions, each dish is unique in its favor and taste. I personally prefer to add yogurt while marinating the chicken as it tenderise the meat and offers a rich taste. An authentic chicken curry does not demand a lot of preparation from you but little bit of patience and generous amount of spices (yes you heard it right – combination of spices play a vital role in preparing flavory and aromatic curry).

This easy chicken curry recipe is perfect for beginners so just follow the steps and treat yourself to a good meal.

With a few ingredients and some basic cooking techniques, you can make a delicious and satisfying chicken curry that’s sure to please your taste buds. So why wait? Let’s get started!

Chicken curry dish originated from the Indian subcontinent. It is widely prepared even outside the India, and sometimes referred as curry chicken. This dish traditionally, is cooked in onions and tomatoes gravy and flavoured with aromatic spices. Moreover, slow cooking also plays an Important part of making this dish. With experience I realised the importance of slow cooking which is often missed by novice cook. 

This delicious curry is often enjoyed by veggie pulao.

Benefits of slow cooking method:

Meat doesn’t dry out when you cook at low flame for a longer duration.

Slow cooking brings out flavour well and keeps meat juicy and tender.

You get a rich gravy with better taste because this method infuses the flavor gradually.

Ingredients:

1 kg of skinless bone-in chicken (Desi/country chicken would be a better choice)

2 tbsp fresh yogurt

5 large Onions

2 tomatoes (roughly diced)

2 tsp ginger garlic paste

4 tsp mutton/meat masala

1/2 tsp turmeric powder

2 tsp coriander powder

1 tsp red chilli powder

2 tsp Kashmiri red chilli powder

1 tsp cumin seeds

1 bay leaf

3 cardamom 

4 cloves

5-6 pieces black pepper

2-3 dry red chillies

1-2 inch cinnamon

Roasted spices (coriander, cumin and dry red chillies)

3-4 tbsp mustard/olive oil

Best Cut for Curry

I recommend bone-in chicken pieces for a perfect curry because they are relatively tender and succulent when cooked. 

If you want your chicken pieces to be boneless, use chicken breast. 

Avoid frozen ones as they may taste bland.

Chicken Curry Variations:

Kadai Chicken

Kadai refers to an Indian wok/large pan. This dish is so deliciously made with tender chicken, onions, tomatoes, garlic, ginger, kadai masala and ground spices. You will surely see this dish on menu card of almost all the restaurants you visit. Coriander and fennel are two Important ingredients go into making this dish. This delicious dish is suggested to be served with plain steam rice or tandoori roti.

Teekha/Spicy Murg Curry

As the name suggests, this fiery chicken curry is made with lots of green chillies, blend of aromatic spices and tender chicken. Absolutely satisfying addition to any lunch/dinner menu. Murg curry is cooked in mustard oil with the tang of tomatoes to adjust the flavors.

Chettinad Chicken Curry

Another fiery chicken curry made with southern spices and coconut paste. Blend of spices is deep roasted to make this dish and is the reason behind brown color of the gravy.

Kolhapuri Chicken Curry

To make Kolhapuri chicken curry, chicken pieces are marinated in ground spices and coconut. This dish involves slow cooking process and is simmered away to perfection. The freshly ground spices and coconut give this chicken curry its remarkable flavour. As this flavoursome curry is considered as one of the spicy chicken curries, you may use less pepper and red chillies to tone down the heat.

Chicken Do Pyaaza

A Punjabi dish that is often relished with rotis or naan. This dish is rich and flavourful because of ample amount of onions and tomatoes go into making the curry. Most importantly, pyaaz/onions are used in two ways. Chopped onions are fried along with spices to prepare the base of gravy and larger diced pieces are added at the end of cooking process.

How to make Chicken Curry: Steps

Marination

Step 1: Add 1kg of washed and cleaned bone-in chicken to a large size bowl.

Pro Tips: For an authentic Indian chicken curry, use the entire country chicken (breast, thighs and drumsticks).

Step 2: Add-in 2 tbsp yogurt to the bowl and mix well.

Step 3: Now add-in spices – (2 tsp meat masala, ½ tsp turmeric powder, 1 tsp red chilli powder, 1 tsp salt and 1 tsp ginger garlic paste) to it.

Step 4: Add mustard/olive oil for binding.

Step 5: Mix the marination well and keep aside the for 2-3 hours or refrigerate it for 5-6 hours. I would recommend to set the marination in fridge overnight if you plan to cook for the next day.

Curry

Step 1: Heat the wok and add in whole spices to it. Stir the spices for a while until they are roasted and start releasing aroma. Remove the spices and keep aside.

Step 2: Now add 3 tbsp of mustard oil in the Kadhai/pan/wok. Once it’s smoking hot, add stir fried whole spices to it and saute for a minute.

Step 3: Add sliced onion and fry till they become translucent. 

Step 4: Now add in ginger garlic paste and saute for 2-3 minutes.

Step 5: It’s time now to add marinated chicken to the pan. Stir for 5-6 minutes after adding the marination.

Step 6: Add 2-3 slit green chillies to the wok. Mix well and saute for 2-3 minutes.

Note: I added green chillies at this point because I did not want them to be burnt in the sizzling hot oil. Try this to bring out spices out of chillies.

Step 7: Add spices (red chillies, coriander, kashmiri red chillies, mutton masala) to the pan and mix well. 

Step 8: As we are using a slow cooking technique, it’s is necessary to turn the heat low and cook the spices. Keep stirring occasionally to make sure spices are not stuck at the base of the pan. Feel free to sprinkle water as and when required.

Step 9: Once the oil starts separating, add chopped tomatoes to the wok and then salt to taste. Saute till tomatoes start releasing water and become tender and mushy. Keep stirring occasionally until tomatoes mix well with the chicken.

Step 10: It’s time to add magical ingredient (crushed spices – coriander, dry red chillies and cumin seeds). This crushed powder is so flavourful that it enhances the taste of this dish exponentially.

Note: Please check how to crush spices using mortar and pestle at home.

Step 11: Keep stirring the chicken for 2-3 minutes and then add water to it. Let it cook for 15-20 minutes on low flame. There is a saying, ‘no rose without a thorn’ so don’t be impatient.

Step 12: Once chicken is cooked properly, turn off the flame. Garnish the chicken curry with coriander leaves.

Step 13: This mouth-watering dish pairs well with rice/roti thus you may serve this delicious chicken curry with roti or plain steamed rice (as per your choice).

4 Pro Tips for a Perfect Chicken Curry

Always try to cook on low to medium flame, so don’t rush your cooking.

Always roast the whole spices until they start releasing aroma.

Add tomatoes when the spices are well cooked and oil starts separating .

Add yogurt in marination for richness.

FAQ

What curry is best for beginners?

There are many variations of chicken curries made across different regions. While some of them are complicated to make in very first try, I recommend beginners this desi Indian chicken curry. This is really scrumptious and simple to make.

What is the secret ingredient in curry?

Although I have used all basic ingredients to make this curry, crushed (coriander, cumin, dry red chillies) powder in mortar and pestle gives the dish an authentic taste.

How to make chicken curry step by step with pictures?

Please refer the section – How to make chicken curry – Steps.

How to make chicken curry taste better?

Please refer ‘pro tips for a perfect chicken curry’.

General QnA

Why is my chicken curry not tasty?

If you don’t cook your curry long enough, it may taste bland.

Does lemon juice soften chicken?

Lemon juice helps tenderise chicken pieces. It also helps to bring out the flavors of spices in curry.