What’s not to love about Indian chicken curry, especially on a cold day? I love making chicken curry. It takes me back to my youth when mom would make it and we would all fight over the left overs. I have been trying to replicate that same flavour for years and I have finally nailed it. Although I grew up watching her cook it for a better part of my life, I never managed to get it to taste like hers. But now that I finally have, I am going to share my secret with you.

Ingredients for Indian Chicken Curry

Some whole spices, some ground spices, and a lot of love make this chicken curry special.

Ingredients List for Indian Chicken Curry:

2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 large red onion
1 red chili (or green)
4 cloves garlic
1 inch fresh ginger
1 cinnamon stick
3 bay leaves
3 pods of green cardamom
4 whole cloves
1 tablespoon paprika
1 tablespoon garam masala
1 teaspoon of turmeric powder
1 tablespoon ground coriander
1 tablespoon ground cumin
4 large tomatoes(or 1/2 cup of tomato puree)
4 chicken drumsticks
4 bone-in chicken thighs
salt to taste
1 cup water
1 tablespoon butter (optional)
fresh coriander for garnish

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The Whole Spices:

I always thought using whole species meant biting into them when I enjoyed the chicken curry and that was not always a great experience and so I would always skip them from my curry. But I found that adding them brings a whole new level of fragrance and flavour to the curry. Let’s get started with making our chicken curry:

In a large pot, add 2 tablespoons of vegetable oil.
Bring it to medium heat and add to it one cinnamon stick, 3-4 bay leaves, 3 green cardamom pods, and 4 whole cloves.
Allow them to get aromatic.
Add one finely chopped red onion, and one finely chopped red chili to the pot.
I like to grate 4 cloves of garlic and one inch of ginger into the pot as well.
Allow all of them to mingle with the whole spices and brown.

The Ground Spices:

Chicken curry can not be made without the aid of these delicious ground spices. Now that our onions are ready, let’s add the ground spices to the pot:

Add one tablespoon of paprika – I use a combination of paprika and cayenne for a slightly spicier version.
One tablespoon of garam masala
One teaspoon of turmeric powder
One tablespoon of ground coriander
One tablespoon of ground cumin

Mix all the spices into the onion base and allow them to cook for about 1 minute. This helps the flavour profile to get even more enhanced as the spices cook.

The Tomatoes:

We are now ready for the tomatoes. Tomatoes bring a tartness, acidity, and a slight bit of sweetness to the dish.

Chop 4 large tomatoes into small pieces.
Add them to the pot with the onion and spice mix.
Mix them well into the onion base and allow them to cook for about 8-10 minutes.
Remember to stir every minute or so to ensure that the tomatoes cook evenly and don’t burn.
Allow the tomatoes to cook until they are mostly disintegrated and the oil starts to separate from the “masala”.
Alternatively, use 1/2 cup of tomato puree.

Adding Chicken to the Masala

Now we are ready for the chicken.

Add 4 bone-in chicken thighs and 4 chicken drumsticks to the pot.
Mix everything well so the chicken gets well coated with the masala.
Allow it to cook for about 3-4 minutes.
Remember to stir once in between.
The idea is to allow the chicken to start cooking. It starts to shed a little bit of its liquid too.

Add 1 cup of water to the pot and let it cook on medium-low heat for 12-15 mins. The low temperature will allow the chicken to absorb the flavours.
Remember to stir occasionally to allow for an even cooking process.
You now have a scrumptious chicken curry that you can enjoy!

Serving Suggestions for Indian Chicken Curry:

Once the chicken has cooked through, add some butter or clarified butter on top and garnish with fresh coriander leaves.

Serve with warm fresh naan or
Try it with my leftover lentil flatbreads.
My favourite is serving this chicken curry with fluffy jeera rice.

How do I store my leftover Indian Chicken Curry?

I love making extras whenever I make this chicken curry. I find curry always tastes a lot better the next day.

Store any left overs chicken curry in the fridge in an air tight container for up to 2 days.
To reheat left over chicken, remove it from the fridge and allow it to come to room temperature. Then heat it in a pot. Add a couple of tablespoons of water if needed. Curry tends to thicken with time, so it might need some liquid to restore it to its original state.

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