Chicken curry is the most favorite dish in my family. Be it any occasion or family gatherings, chicken curry is a dish loved and relished by everyone. I remember during my childhood days, my mom used to cook this curry, especially on Sundays when dad used to be home. I literally drooled over it.
This particular recipe of chicken curry is my family recipe. This is how my mother makes it. I have been eating this for all my life now and never really got tired of it. There are so many different methods of preparation for chicken curry in India as well as all over the world. Especially after coming to Singapore I got introduced to the Malaysian style chicken curry and more. But at the end of the day, I always crave for this particular recipe like a hungry soul. It is a recipe that is very close to my heart, not only because of its amazing taste and aroma, but also because of the fact that it needs very few ingredients on hand. Hence it is quick, easy simple and comforting.
When you prepare chicken, it is very important to clean the chicken pieces well. Just wash the chicken through cold running water. Apply turmeric powder and salt all over the chicken pieces uniformly. Let it rest for 5-10 mins. Turmeric powder (haldi) will disinfect any bacteria that might be present in the meat. Then wash it off again through cold running water. This procedure will ensure that chicken is thoroughly cleaned and disinfected before you use it for cooking. Also it helps prevent any unnecessary odor present in the meat.
Normally I would use thighs and drumsticks for curry as I find these parts more tender as compared to the breast meat. More often breast meat tends to get chewy if overcooked, whereas thighs and drumsticks retain their juices; hence making them more delicious.
Adding potatoes into chicken curry is quite crucial in my home, because DH absolutely loves the potatoes in his curry. Potatoes always give a distinct flavor and aroma to every chicken curry dish.
Ingredients:
Chicken – 750 grams – 1 kg
Turmeric powder – 1 tbsp
Red chilli powder – 1 tbsp
Coriander powder – 1 tbsp
Cumin powder – 1/2 tbsp
Lime – juice of 1 lime
Yogurt – 3-4 heaping tbsp
Garam masala powder – 1 tbsp (I use home-made garam masala)
Potatoes – 3 large halved
Onion – 2 large
Garlic – 8-10 cloves
Ginger – 1 large piece
Coriander leaves – chopped finely
Green chillies – 3-4
Black peppercorns – 5-6
Cloves – 5-6
Bay leaves – 2-3
Cinnamon stick – 3-4 small sticks
Salt – as per taste
Method:
Blend the onions into a smooth paste.
Blend the ginger garlic and green chillies into a smooth paste.
Marinate the chicken with turmeric powder, red chilli powder, coriander powder, cumin powder, lime juice, yogurt and ginger-garlic paste for at least 30 mins.
Take cooking oil in a pan. Add the whole garam masala – peppercorns, cloves, cinnamon sticks and bay leaves. Saute for a few seconds.
Then add the onion paste. Saute the onions for a around 5 mins. Then add the marinated chicken. Mix well. Keep the heat on high. Chicken will start losing water. Keep sauteing and frying the chicken along with the masala until all the water is absorbed and you can see traces of oil oozing out.
Then add around 1.5 cups of water. Add the garam masala powder, salt and chopped coriander leaves. Let it come to a boil. Add in the potatoes.
Cover with a lid, lower the heat and let it cook for around 25-30 mins or until the chicken is fork-tender and potatoes are well done. Once the chicken curry is done, turn off the heat and let the curry stand for around 5 mins.
Delicious and simple chicken curry with potatoes is ready.
Enjoy with rotis or pulao.
Healthy Indian kitchen 