Indian Chicken Curry (Murgh Kari)

Step 1: Prepare Ingredients

Chop 1.5 cups of onion and 2 tablespoons of fresh cilantro. Mince 1 tablespoon of garlic and grate 1.5 teaspoons of fresh ginger root. Squeeze 1 tablespoon of fresh lemon juice.

Step 2: Season Chicken

Sprinkle 2 teaspoons of salt over 2 pounds of skinless, boneless chicken breast halves (8 halves in this case). Season both sides.

Step 3: Brown Chicken

Heat 0.5 cup of oil in a large skillet over high heat. Add some of the chicken to the hot oil and cook until it's completely browned on both sides. The chicken will finish cooking later in the curry sauce, so it doesn't need to be cooked through at this point. Set the browned chicken aside. Add a second batch of chicken to the skillet and cook until browned. Set aside.

Step 4: Sauté Aromatics

Reduce the heat to medium-high. Add the chopped onion, minced garlic, and grated ginger to the skillet. Cook and stir them until the onion turns translucent, which should take about 8 minutes.

Step 5: Add Spices

Add 1 tablespoon of curry powder, 1 teaspoon of ground cumin, 1 teaspoon of ground turmeric, 1 teaspoon of ground coriander, 1 teaspoon of cayenne pepper, and 1 tablespoon of water to the skillet. Stir the mixture for about 1 minute.

Step 6: Combine with Tomatoes and Yogurt

Add 1 (15 ounce) can of crushed tomatoes and 1 cup of plain yogurt to the skillet. Stir these together with the spices and onions until well combined. Bring the sauce to a low simmer.

Step 7: Season Sauce

Add 1 tablespoon of the chopped fresh cilantro and 1 teaspoon of salt to the sauce. Stir everything together.

Step 8: Add Chicken to Sauce

Add the browned chicken pieces to the simmering sauce. Turn the chicken pieces to coat them evenly with the curry sauce.

Step 9: Simmer Curry

Pour 0.5 cup of water into the skillet and bring the curry to a simmer.

Step 10: Final Spice Addition

Sprinkle the curry with 1 teaspoon of garam masala and the remaining 1 tablespoon of chopped cilantro. Stir everything and flip the chicken again to ensure even coating.

Step 11: Cook Chicken Through

Cover the skillet and simmer the chicken for about 20 minutes.

Step 12: Check Doneness and Finish

To check the chicken for doneness, insert an instant-read thermometer into the center; it should read at least 165°F (74°C). When the chicken is done, sprinkle it with the fresh lemon juice.

Step 13: Serve

Serve the Indian Chicken Curry with basmati rice and naan bread, and garnish with more fresh cilantro.

• Leftovers are even better the next day.

• For genuinely spicy food, chop small green chilies and stir them into the sauce.

• Add small green chilies for extra heat.