Indian Chicken Curry Recipe

Wonderfully Seasoned Curried Chicken from India

This is a spicy and delightful chicken curry dish from India, usually served over rice.

This recipe for Indian chicken curry is actually surprisingly easy to prepare; most of the preparation involves measuring and grinding spices, and the cooking, although it requires some amount of time, requires little attention.

Like most Indian food, it is quite spicy, which can be moderated by reducing the amount of chili powder. But, also like most Indian dishes, it has a subtle array of flavors which has been very appropriately compared to a symphony for the taste buds, as opposed to Western recipes, which may contain only one or two seasonings, if any at all besides salt or pepper.

This chicken curry is generally served with rice. Optionally, it can also be served with plain yogurt, which can cut down the heat factor considerably for those who aren't quite up to eating such spicy foods.

It also keeps well in the refrigerator for up to a week or so.

Indian Chicken Curry

Indian Chicken Curry Recipe

Ingredients

• 4 lbs. whole chickens, cut into pieces (boneless breasts can be substituted for ease of preparation and eating) 
• 3 cups onion, chopped 
• 2 Tbs. ginger, minced 
• 6 cloves garlic, minced 
• 2 Tbs. poppy seeds, ground (use a food mill) 
• 2 tsp. salt 
• 2 tsp. red chili powder 
• ½ tsp. turmeric 
• 5 whole cloves 
• 5 whole cardamom 
• ½ stick cinnamon 
• 2½ Tbs. olive oil

For Garam Masala:

(grind all of these together in a spice mill or mortar and pestle separately from above)

• 1½ Tbs. coriander 
• 20 cloves 
• 20 cardamom 
• 1 tsp. cumin seeds 
• ½ stick cinnamon 

*optional:

• 1 star anise 
• 1 black cardamom

Directions

1. Heat the olive oil in a large sauce pan over medium-high heat. 
2. Add the whole cloves, cardamom, and stick cinnamon. 
3. As soon as the spices begin to sizzle, add the onion. 
4. Sauté the onions and spices until the onions become slightly transparent, but not fully browned. 
5. Add the ginger and garlic to sautéing onions, and stir for about a minute. 
6. Add the chicken to the onions and spices, and stir enough to fully coat the chicken with oil. 
7. Cover the pan and allow to cook for five minutes. 
8. Add salt, stir carefully but well, then cover and allow to cook for another five minutes. 
9. Uncover and allow the chicken to fry until almost all the water evaporates. 
10. Add the chili powder, then stir for about a minute. 
11. Add the ground poppy seeds (mixed with a tablespoon of water). 
12. Stir well, then pour in just enough water to cover the pieces. 
13. Cover and cook, stirring occasionally, until chicken is fully cooked through and the gravy has reached the desired consistency. 
14. Add the Garam Masala mixture, and cook for another minute or two. 
15. Allow to stand for 15 minutes before serving.

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