Indian Restaurant Chicken Jalfrezi

BIR Chicken Jalfrezi

Jalfrezi is a thick spicy chicken curry that originated in Bengal. In Bengali, 'Jal or jhal' means spicy, and 'frezi' means stir-fried. It is a spicy stir-fried curry made with chicken, bell pepper, and onions.

Indian restaurant chicken jalfrezi is one of the popular dishes among UK Indians and South Asian restaurants. Love to make restaurant-style dishes at home? You may also like this Chilli Chicken Gravy, Chicken Ruby, Dragon Chicken, Chicken Pathia, and Garlic Chicken.

Jalfrezi originated when India was under British rule to make use of leftover chicken. Leftover chicken transforms into fiery Jalfrezi curry when stir-fried with crisp veggies and simmered in a spicy tomato gravy.

The dish has a spicy and tangy flavor and is often served with Naan, Paratha, or rice.

Difference between restaurant-style and home-style jalfrezi

Restaurant-style Jalfrezi curries are made with pre-made spice blends, pre-cooked meat, and curry bases to save time. The curry can be made within 10 minutes. Lots of different spices and ingredients are layered together for those big bold restaurant flavors.

Home-style jalfrezi curry takes a little longer to cook. Everything is made from scratch like cooking chicken and making the curry base. It has a simple flavor, is ready within 30 minutes, and is made with love. However, both are delicious in their way!

Here in this recipe post, I am sharing two different recipes to make Jalfrezi. First one restaurant style and the other home style made from scratch. If you do not want to make a base gravy then try this 30-minute jalfrezi recipe given just below the recipe card.

Why do you need this recipe?

If you are craving for restaurant style jalfrezi, want to impress guests, or find new flavors you should try this recipe.

It is quick and easy to make at home. The curry is ready within 10 minutes and it tastes awesome.

BIR essentials to make Restaurant-Style Chicken Jalfrezi

1. Base Gravy: It is the base for making any curry made in British Indian Restaurant’s kitchen. Made with onion, bell peppers, tomatoes, and flavored with mild spices. I have already shared an easy recipe. You can make it once, freeze, and whip your favorite curries all week within minutes.
2. Pre-Cooked Meat: For this recipe the chicken is precooked. Tandoori chicken goes very well with this recipe. I have shared the recipe in recipe card notes. You can cook chicken, store it, and use it in multiple BIR curries.
3. High Heat: BIR curries love high heat. This cooks the base gravy down, leaving rich, caramelized bits sticking around the edges of the pan to give that restaurant taste.
4. Stir constantly: Restaurant cooks constantly stir their curries, preventing ingredients from sticking and ensuring even cooking. This also helps release caramelized bits from the pan, boosting the flavor even further.
5. The "Oil Separation" Test: This is the sign that your jalfrezi is nearing perfection. After adding base gravy, cook until you see oil shimmering and separating around the edges. This signifies a flavorful balance and ensures a restaurant-worthy texture.
6. Oil: Do not cut down the quantity of oil. Spices release their flavors when fried in it, adding depth and deliciousness. Too little oil and the spices will burn.
7. Mixed Powder/Curry Powder: This secret blend powers up the flavor. Feel free to adjust the spices to your taste – go mild, go wild, it's your jalfrezi!
8. Kasuri Methi: They pack a punch of aroma and restaurant-style flavors. Don't forget it; your curry will thank you!

How to make Indian Restaurant Chicken Jalfrezi

Preparations

• Cook the chicken and heat the base gravy (details in recipe notes).
• Chop the onions, bell peppers, and tomatoes.
• Keep all the spice powders handy near the cooktop.
• Heat the base gravy and simmer in a pan next to your cooking vessel.

Making chicken jalfrezi recipe

• Heat 3 tablespoon of oil over medium-high heat in a Kadai or pan. 
• When the oil is hot, add onions and bell peppers. Stir fry until some char marks start to appear on them.
• Next, add the ginger-garlic paste. Cook, stirring continuously, until the raw smell from ginger-garlic leaves or the spluttering of ginger-garlic paste reduces.
• Lower the heat; add mixed powder/curry powder, kasuri methi, Kashmiri red chili powder, and garam masala powder. Stir for 30 seconds.
• Add ¼ cup of the hot base gravy. This is to prevent the spices from sticking to the base of the pan or kadai. Cook stirring continuously until oil separates from the curry around the edges of Kadai. It will take another 30 seconds.
• Next add tomato puree, coriander stalks, and ⅓ cup (75 ml) of base gravy. Cook for a minute or until oil starts to separate from the sides. You can see bubbles forming on the edges of the Kadai. Scrape the edges and stir to prevent the masala from sticking to the Kadai.

  

• Add ⅔ cup (150 ml) of base gravy, and cooked chicken and combine and cook stirring continuously until oil starts to separate. Let it cook undisturbed for a minute. Stir only if required. Oil will start to separate from masala. Stir it once.
• Add tomatoes and green chilies, taste, and adjust the salt. You can add more base gravy for a thinner consistency. I added ⅓ cup (75 ml) of gravy base to adjust the consistency of the gravy. Cook until the oil separates again.
• Garnish with fresh coriander leaves and serve with a lemon wedge.

  

Cooking Tips

1. Heat the curry base sauce before you start cooking. If you're using my recipe, thin it down with the same quantity of water (think milk consistency), heat it, and then use it.
2. Stir & Scrape: Keep stirring your curry as you cook, and don't forget to scrape the edges of the pan. This prevents the spices from sticking and burning.
3. When adding the spice powders, lower the heat first. This helps prevent them from getting burnt.
4. Add the base gravy or curry base as required. If it's too thin, just cook it a bit longer to thicken up.
5. Every time you add the base sauce or gravy, cook it until you see oil separating from the curry around the edges. This step takes about 1-2 minutes and gives your dish that restaurant-style flavor boost.
6. For the best BIR (British Indian Restaurant) experience, ditch the non-stick and cook in either a cast iron Kadai or an aluminum pan. These materials help give your curry that authentic taste.
7. You can adjust the spice level and gravy thickness to your preference.

Other BIR restaurant recipes that you might like

• Madras Chicken
• Chicken Pathia
• Chicken Ruby
• Chicken Bhuna Masala

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Recipe Card

Chicken Jalfrezi made from scratch (in 30 minutes)

Ingredients

• 500-gram boneless chicken breast, cut into bite-size chunks
• ½ green bell pepper, cut into cubes
• ½ red bell pepper, cut into cubes
• 1 red onion, cut into cubes
• 1 medium size onion, finely chopped
• 2 tsp garlic, finely chopped
• 1 tsp ginger finely chopped
• salt to taste
• ¼ tsp turmeric
• 1 tsp Kashmiri red chili powder (or use normal red chili powder as per taste.)
• ½ tsp ground black pepper
• ½ tsp ground cumin (optional)
• 2 tsp ground coriander
• 1 tsp garam masala
• 4 medium size plum tomatoes, chopped (320 grams)
• 3 tbsp tomato ketchup (or add tomato paste)
• 1 tsp lemon juice
• 2 tbsp coriander leaves, chopped (optional, for garnishing)

Preparations

1. Cut the boneless chicken breast into bite-size chunks.
2. Chop the veggies & set them aside.
3. Keep all the spices & sauces ready.

Making jalfrezi

1. Heat 2 teaspoon of oil in a heavy bottom pan over medium heat. Add the bell pepper & onion cubes.
2. Stir-fry bell pepper & onions for 3-4 minutes. It should be crisp-fried. Remove & set it aside.
3. Heat 1 teaspoon of oil in the same pan over medium heat.
4. Add onions and saute until the onions are golden.
5. Next, add ginger & garlic to it. Stir-fry it for a minute.

   

6. Add chicken & cook until the color of the chicken changes from pink to white.
7. Add turmeric powder, red chili powder, salt, ground cumin, ground coriander, garam masala, & ground black pepper. Cook it for a minute.

   

8. Add tomatoes and tomato ketchup. Combine and cook it for 2 minutes. Cover and cook until tomatoes are soft.
9. Add ¼ cup water and stir. Cover & cook until the chicken is completely cooked.

   

10. Add the stir-fried bell pepper & onions back to the pan. Add lemon juice and sugar (optional). Combine and cook the curry sauce on low-medium heat for 2 minutes. Remove from heat.
11. Finally, add butter and coriander leaves. Stir and serve with Naan or rice. You can also check out the recipe video.

    

Frequently Asked Questions

Storage Suggestions

• Store the leftovers within 2 hours of cooking.
• Store the leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator. Stays good for 2 days. Reheat and serve it.
• If the curry is too dry, sprinkle some water over it and reheat.
• For a longer shelf life, you can store it in freezer. Stays good for a month.
• Before consuming, check for any signs of spoilage like foul smell or black spots. If there are any such signs discard them immediately.

Serving Suggestions

• Serve Jalfrezi with steamed basmati rice or Jeera rice.
• Roti, Paratha, or Naan Bread.
• Indian Pilaf (pulao) or Biryani.
• Sliced bread.

Variations that you can try

• You can make it with prawns instead of chicken to make Prawns Jalfrezi.
• Make Paneer Jalfrezi - You can substitute chicken with paneer and make Paneer Jalfrezi.
• Make Vegetable Jalfrezi - Add some stir-fried vegetables instead of chicken.
• You can make it with any other meat like lamb to make Lamb Jalfrezi.