Spicy Chicken Curry
From the first aromatic bite to the last, this chicken curry recipe will have you coming back for seconds. Easy to make and full of flavor, it’s the perfect getaway for traditional Indian cuisine.
Equipment
- 1 Blender to make the chili cilantro garlic paste
- 1 medium to large size pan/ pot
Ingredients
Base
- 4 Chicken thighs boneless, skinless can use bone in as well
- 1/2 cup yogurt for marination
- 2 Onions finely chopped
- 1/2 tomato finely chopped
- 2 tbsp oil
Cilantro Garlic Chilli Paste (Watan)
- 3/4 bunch cilantro
- 1 inch piece of ginger
- 8 garlic cloves peeled
- 4 thai green chillis adjust according to your spice preference
- 2 tbsp lemon juice
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 tsp pepper
Spices
- 3 tsp chicken masala/ garam masala
- 1 tsp turmeric powder
- 2 tsp corriander powder
- 2 tsp Kashmiri chilli powder can use paprika. Adjust according to spice preference
Instructions
Marinating the chicken
- Cut the chicken thighs into bite-size pieces and marinate them with half a cup of yogurt, 1 teaspoon turmeric, 1 teaspoon chicken masala/ garam masala, 1 teaspoon Kashmiri chili powder, 2 teaspoon salt, and 1 teaspoon scrunched pepper.
- Mix everything together and let it marinate for at least an hour and up to overnight.
Making the Cilantro Garlic Chilli Paste (Watan)
- Make the watan or the cilantro garlic chili paste by blending together 3/4th bunch of cilantro, green chilies, garlic, ginger, lemon juice, salt, pepper, and a couple of splashes of water
- Blend the mixture until smooth. We are looking for a pure like consistency here.
Making the curry
- In a hot pot, heat some oil and sauté the finely chopped onions until they are translucent about 5 to 7 minutes
- Stir the onions occasionally, and add a splash of water if they stick to the pan.
- Add the cilantro garlic chili paste to the pot and stir well. Let the mixture cook for 10 minutes on medium heat, stirring occasionally.
- Once the paste has been incorporated with the onions, add tomatoes and cook for another 10 minutes.
- Then, add the marinated chicken to the pot and season with additional salt, pepper, chicken masala, coriander powder, Kashmiri red chili powder, and lemon juice. Mix everything together well and put a lid on the pot.
- Cook the chicken for 10 minutes on medium-low heat, stirring occasionally. Then, add enough water to the pot to completely submerge the chicken. Continue cooking for 15 minutes, or until the chicken is fully cooked.
- Taste the curry and adjust the spices and water as needed to achieve your desired level of spiciness and consistency. If you add more spices, you may need to simmer the curry for an additional 5 minutes to let the flavors meld.
- Serve the curry hot, garnished with fresh cilantro and accompanied by steamed rice and an onion salad. Enjoy!
