Description
Tender chicken is marinated in a spiced, tangy mixture, then cooked with fried onion, whole spices and creamy coconut milk. It’s the kind of curry that tastes even better with warm roti or rice, and yes, you’ll want plenty of sauce.
Ingredients
Units
Scale
Chicken Marinade
- 4.4 lb - 2 kg chicken pieces, bone-in or boneless
- 1 tbs ginger garlic paste
- 1/2 tsp turmeric powder
- 2 tbs chili powder
- 2 tsp dhania jeera powder
- 2 tsp garam masala
- 1 pinch saffron
- Salt to taste
- 1/2 tsp powdered food colouring, optional
- 1 cup sour milk, preferably buttermilk or plain unsweetened yogurt thinned with a little water
- 1/2 cup tomato purée
Fried Spices
- 1/2 cup coconut oil or butter
- 1 large onion, thinly sliced
- 3 to 4 cinnamon sticks
- 2 bay leaves
- 1/2 tsp jeera seeds
- 1/2 tsp fennel seeds
- 1 star anise
- 1 sprig curry leaves
Finish
- 1.6 cups (Approx) 1 can coconut milk, about 400 ml
- 1 chicken stock cube
Instructions
- Add 2 kg chicken pieces to a large bowl or pot.
- Add 1 tbs ginger garlic paste, 1/2 tsp turmeric powder, 2 tbs chili powder, 2 tsp dhania jeera powder, 2 tsp garam masala, 1 pinch saffron, salt to taste, 1/2 tsp powdered food colouring if using, 1 cup sour milk and 1/2 cup tomato purée.
- Mix everything really well so the chicken is completely coated. Cover and refrigerate for at least 2 hours. If you’ve got the time, leaving it overnight will give the spices even more time to work.
- Heat 1/2 cup coconut oil or butter in a large frying pan over medium heat.
- Add 1 large sliced onion, 3 to 4 cinnamon sticks, 2 bay leaves, 1/2 tsp jeera seeds, 1/2 tsp fennel seeds, 1 star anise and 1 sprig curry leaves.
- Fry the onion and spices until the onion is softened and lightly golden and the whole spices smell fragrant.
- Scrape the fried onion and spices, along with all the flavoured oil or butter, into the marinated chicken. Give everything a good stir.
- Place the chicken mixture in a large heavy-based pot over medium heat.
- Cook uncovered, stirring occasionally, until the chicken releases its juices and the liquid starts to thicken. This can take about 15 to 20 minutes depending on the size of your chicken pieces.
- Add 1 can of coconut milk and 1 chicken stock cube.
- Stir well, then reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer gently until the chicken is completely cooked through and tender, about 20 to 25 minutes for most pieces.
- Check the thickest piece of chicken before serving. If the sauce gets too thick before the chicken is cooked, add a small splash of water and keep simmering gently.
- Taste before serving and adjust the salt or chili if needed, as the chicken stock cube can already be quite salty, so it’s better to add less salt at the beginning and adjust at the end.
- Serve hot with rice, roti, flat bread or even pasta.
- Spoon plenty of that creamy sauce over the top because that’s the good part.
Notes
Prepared, tried, and tested by Irene
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1
- Calories: 489
- Sugar: 2 g
- Sodium: 212 mg
- Fat: 28.1 g
- Saturated Fat: 19.5 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 8.7 g
- Fiber: 1.7 g
- Protein: 48.9 g
- Cholesterol: 154.8 mg
