Home Style Chicken Curry – Food with Chetna

Step 1: Sauté Whole Spices

Heat 3-4 tablespoons of oil in a large pan. Add 4-5 cloves, 1 black cardamom, 1 cinnamon stick, and 1 tablespoon of cumin seeds. Let them sizzle for a few seconds until fragrant.

Step 2: Cook Onions

Add 5 finely chopped medium onions to the pan. Sauté for 8-10 minutes until they soften and turn slightly golden brown.

Step 3: Add Ginger and Garlic

Add 4 finely chopped garlic cloves and 1 piece of finely chopped ginger to the pan. Cook for 2 minutes until fragrant.

Step 4: Soften Tomatoes

Add 4 roughly chopped tomatoes to the pan. Sprinkle 1/2 teaspoon of salt over the tomatoes to help them soften quicker. Cook for 5 minutes until the tomatoes have completely broken apart and formed a paste.

Step 5: Add Chicken and Yogurt

Add 1.5 kg of chopped chicken pieces (on the bone, no skin) to the pan. Then, add 100g of natural yogurt.

Step 6: Season with Ground Spices

Add the remaining 3/4 teaspoon of salt, 1 tablespoon of turmeric, 2 tablespoons of ground coriander, 1 tablespoon of chili powder, and 1 tablespoon of homemade garam masala to the chicken and yogurt mixture.

Step 7: Mix and Add Water

Mix all the ingredients thoroughly until the chicken is well coated with the spices and yogurt. Pour in 150 ml of water.

Step 8: First Simmer

Cover the pan with a lid and cook on low heat for 30 minutes, allowing the chicken to absorb the flavors.

Step 9: Add Potatoes

After 30 minutes, remove the lid and add the 4 peeled and halved medium potatoes. Gently push them into the curry to ensure they are submerged in the sauce.

Step 10: Final Simmer

Cover the pan again and continue to cook on low heat for another 20 minutes, or until the potatoes are tender and the chicken is fully cooked through.

Step 11: Serve and Garnish

Turn off the heat. Garnish generously with fresh chopped coriander leaves and serve hot with rice or chapati.

• Add salt to the chopped tomatoes to help them soften quicker during cooking.

• For enhanced flavor, let the curry sit for an hour or two after cooking before serving.

• Use chicken on the bone without skin for the best flavor and texture in this curry.

• For a spicier curry, add whole green chilies along with the ground spices.