Indian chicken curry in a hurry.

When I am in a hurry but wish to cook something with Indian spices, this is a something that I make for a regular dinner. It is simple, tasty yet not at all high on fat and more importantly quite rapid. I prefer doing it with breast pieces with bones because the bone-marrow adds flavor to the curry. But make sure you deskin the chicken because generally for Indian curries the skin prevents the spices from incorporating into the flesh. If the skin is kept, the spices get trapped on the skin and the flesh becomes bland. This dish is also made keeping my Bengali roots in mind where people generally add potatoes to chicken curries. So here is the recipe for my version of the Indian chicken curry in a hurry.

Ingredients

Chicken breasts : 750 grams (with bone and skin)

Sunflower oil : 1 tablespoon

Yogurt : 125 gms

Water : 2 cups

Onion : 1 (large) (chopped)

Potato : 100 grams

Garlic : 3 cloves (chopped)

Tomato Puree : 5 tablespoon

Sugar : 1 teaspoon

Salt to taste

Whole spices

Cinnamon stick : 1

Green Cardamom : 5

Brown Cardamom: 1

Cloves : 7

Ground Spices

Turmeric powder : 1/2 teaspoon

Cumin powder : 1 teaspoon

Garam Masala powder : 1 teaspoon

Red Chili powder : 1 teaspoon (if you want it spicy)

Freshly ground black pepper powder : 1/3 teaspoon

Procedure

Remove the skin of the chicken and put two slanted slits on the breast pieces.

Add oil to a non-stick pan. Turn on the heat, when the pan becomes a bit warm add chopped onion, chopped garlic and the whole spices to the pan.

As soon as the whole spices start to crackle and emit the smell, sauté it.

When the onions and garlics have changed their color to light golden brown add the potatoes (with skin) and sauté it.

Add the chicken pieces.

Sprinkle salt.

Let the chicken cook for some time so that the color changes and looks like this.

Change the sides again and repeat the process once more.

Mix the powdered spices. Sprinkle the mix on the chicken.

Add the splash of water so that the powdered spices do not burn.

Sauté it nicely until the spices get well distributed among the chicken and other ingredients.

After 1 or 2 minutes the spice mixture will be incorporated and begin to emit the flavor.

Add the beaten yogurt.

Sauté it nicely for 2-3 minutes.

Add the tomato puree.

Add sugar.

Sauté it nicely to incorporate the ingredients. Then season it with salt.

Sauté it until the oil separates from the spice mixture. When this happens, add the water.

Stir it nicely.

Cover and cook for thirty minutes in medium heat.

After thirty minutes, remove the cover, change the sides of the chicken. Check whether the meat is done.

If the meat is not done and the gravy is too dry, add a cup of water. Stir and cook for 10-15 more minutes in medium heat.

When the meat is done, reduce the heat to low and keep it for 1-2 minutes. The oil will separate and float on top. The dish is then ready.

The final dish is shown here.

The dish is best served with hot steamed basmati rice.

  

Printable Recipe

Indian chicken curry in a hurry.
Author: Mitanti Ghosh
Preparation Time: 15min
Cooking time: 45min
Servings: 4

Calories per serving: 250 kcal

When I am in a hurry but wish to cook something with Indian spices, this is a something that I make for a regular dinner. It is simple, tasty yet not at all high on fat and more importantly quite rapid.

Ingredients:

• Chicken breasts : 750 grams (with bone and skin)
• Sunflower oil : 1 tablespoon
• Yogurt : 125 gms
• Water : 2 cups
• Onion : 1 (large) (chopped)
• Potato : 100 grams
• Garlic : 3 cloves (chopped)
• Tomato Puree : 5 tablespoon
• Sugar : 1 teaspoon
• Salt to taste
• Cinnamon stick : 1
• Green Cardamom : 5
• Brown Cardamom: 1
• Cloves : 7
• Turmeric powder : 1/2 teaspoon
• Cumin powder : 1 teaspoon
• Garam Masala powder : 1 teaspoon
• Red Chili powder : 1 teaspoon (if you want it spicy)
• Freshly ground black pepper powder : 1/3 teaspoon

Instructions:

1. Remove the skin of the chicken and put two slanted slits on the breast pieces.
2. Add oil to a non-stick pan. Turn on the heat, when the pan becomes a bit warm add chopped onion, chopped garlic and the whole spices to the pan.
3. As soon as the whole spices start to crackle and emit the smell, sauté it.
4. When the onions and garlics have changed their color to light golden brown add the potatoes (with skin) and sauté it.
5. Add the chicken pieces.
6. Sprinkle salt.
7. Let the chicken cook for some time so that the color changes and looks like this.
8. Change the sides again and repeat the process once more.
9. Mix the powdered spices. Sprinkle the mix on the chicken.
10. Add the splash of water so that the powdered spices do not burn.
11. Sauté it nicely until the spices get well distributed among the chicken and other ingredients.
12. After 1 or 2 minutes the spice mixture will be incorporated and begin to emit the flavor.
13. Add the beaten yogurt.Sauté it nicely for 2-3 minutes.
14. Add the tomato puree.
15. Add sugar.
16. Sauté it nicely to incorporate the ingredients. Then season it with salt.
17. Sauté it until the oil separates from the spice mixture. When this happens, add the water. Stir it nicely.
18. Cover and cook for thirty minutes in medium heat.
19. After thirty minutes, remove the cover, change the sides of the chicken. Check whether the meat is done.
20. If the meat is not done and the gravy is too dry, add a cup of water. Stir and cook for 10-15 more minutes in medium heat.
21. When the meat is done, reduce the heat to low and keep it for 1-2 minutes. The oil will separate and float on top. The dish is then ready.