Gavran Chicken Curry recipe with step-by-step photos and a video recipe. Gavran Chicken Rassa is a popular village-style chicken curry from Maharashtrian cuisine.

close-up of gavran chicken curry in a bowl.

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What is Gavran Chicken Curry?
Recipe features
Ingredients
How to make Gavran Chicken Curry
Recipe Tips & Notes
Recipe Card

I have already shared many chicken recipes from Maharashtrian cuisine like Kolhapuri Chicken curry, Kolhapuri Chicken Sukka, Malwani Chicken, and Chicken Sukka.

All these chicken curry recipes are unique in their flavors and the use of spices. The same goes with this Gavran Chicken Rassa.

Two years ago, on our way to Kolhapur (a place in Maharashtra), we tasted this village-style chicken curry first time at a roadside hotel. It was served with steamed rice and bhakri (Rice flour chapati/Indian Flatbread).

I was in love with the flavors and the aroma of the chicken curry. Always wanted to make this Gavran chicken curry but kept on postponing it.

This weekend, I got the recipe from our neighbor who is from Maharashtra, and tried it. It tastes exactly the same.

In this recipe post, I am sharing with you all Maharashtrian Gavran Chicken Curry. I have reduced the spices and oil in the recipe. Do try it, friends, and share your feedback with us.

What is Gavran Chicken Curry?

Gavran Chicken is also known as Gavthi chicken or Desi Chicken (Country Chicken). Desi chicken takes a bit longer to cook compared to broiler (poultry) chicken. Also, it tastes better than the broiler chicken.

The Gavran chicken curry (also known as Gavran Chicken Rassa in the Marathi language) is a popular chicken curry from Maharashtrian cuisine. It is spicy, flavorful, and aromatic.

This chicken curry is prepared in village style. In the village-style of cooking, there is heavy use of spices, red chilies, and oil.

Making this Maharashtrian Chicken Curry is easy. The spices, onions, and coconut are roasted until aromatic. This is then ground to make homemade chicken masala. The chicken is then cooked with this masala to make Gavran Chicken Rassa.

Well, when we talk about authentic or traditional recipes then these recipes take a bit longer time for preparation. No store-bought masala is added to the chicken curry. The masala to make Gavran chicken is prepared at home.

The best part of making this Gavran Chicken curry is that you get the same flavors even if you make it with broiler chicken.

Recipe features

Easy to make.
Easy to customize – see the ingredient list below for alternative ingredients. You can add or skip the ingredients as per your taste.
Homemade Gavran Chicken Masala - you can use store-bought masala to make this chicken curry. In this recipe, I have shown how to make chicken masala at home.
Make ahead recipe - You can make it ahead of time. Store it in an airtight container in the refrigerator. Stays good for 2-3 days.
Freezer friendly - You can freeze the masala powder. It stays good for 6 months.

Ingredients

Chicken - Use Gavran chicken (Desi chicken) or country chicken. The whole chicken may weight around 1000-1200 grams (after cleaning). Cut it into medium-size pieces. But if Desi or Country chicken is not available then you can substitute it with broiler chicken. If using broiler chicken, better to use chicken with bones for best flavors.
Whole Spices - coriander seeds, cumin, cloves, cinnamon, peppercorns, black cardamom, black stone flower, and green cardamoms. If you do not have black stone flower then you can skip it. It gives a nice earthy aroma to the masala.
Coconut - You can use either dried coconut or fresh coconut. You can substitute it with coconut milk.
Poppy seeds - Optional ingredient. Skip it, if you do not have it.
Flavoring - Turmeric powder and salt.
Ginger, garlic and onions - These are the basics of Indian cuisine.
Tomatoes - I have used plum tomatoes here. You can substitute it with tomato paste. Or use canned tomatoes.
Green chilies - You can skip it if you do not prefer spicy.
Dried red chilies - I have used byadgi red chilies here. It gives beautiful red color to the gravy and is less spicy. However, you substitute it with Kashmiri red chilies.
Coriander leaves - It adds fresh flavor to the chicken curry.

For the detailed list of ingredients & their measurements, please check out the recipe card below.

How to make Gavran Chicken Curry

Preparations:

Start with making the Green Masala - In a mixer/grinder add ginger, garlic, green chilies and coriander leaves. Add little water and grind it to a fine paste. Green masala to make Gavran chicken is ready. Set it aside.
Marinate the chicken - In a mixing bowl, combine chicken, turmeric powder, salt and the prepared green masala. Marinate the chicken for 30 minutes. Keep it aside.

Prepare the Gavran chicken masala

Heat a pan over low heat.
Dry roast coriander, cumin, cloves, cinnamon, peppercorns, black cardamom, black stone flower, and green cardamom until aromatic.
Transfer it to a plate to cool down completely.
In the same pan, dry roast the byadgi red chilies until they are crisp.
Transfer it to the same plate to cool down.
Grind to a fine powder. First, grind the red chilies.
Then add the whole spices to it and grind.
Do not add water. Set it aside. You can store it in an air-tight container in the freezer. Stays good for 6 months.

Make the onion-coconut paste

In a pan, add 2 teaspoon oil and heat on medium heat.
Add onion slices and stir-fry it until light golden.
Add coconut and poppy seeds and fry until it is golden.
Remove it to a separate plate and let it cool down completely.
Transfer the ingredients to a mixer or grinder jar.
Add little water and grind to a fine paste. Keep it aside.

Making the Gavran Chicken Rassa

Heat oil in a deep bottom pan over medium heat. Add bay leaf and onions.
Saute until the onions are light golden.
Next, add tomatoes and cook until they are soft.
Add the marinated chicken. Stir-fry the chicken for 5 minutes.
Gavran chicken or gavti chicken takes a bit longer to cook. At this stage, add 2 cups of water and pressure cook the chicken for 3 whistles or until the chicken is cooked. If you are using broiler chicken, no need to pressure cook it.
Add the prepared gavran chicken masala powder. Combine and cook for 5-7 minutes.
Add the onion-coconut paste and combine.
Next, add water to adjust the consistency of the gravy.
Taste and add salt.
Cover and cook it for 15 minutes.
Gavran Chicken Curry is ready to serve.

Recipe Tips & Notes

If Country chicken or Desi chicken is not available then you can make the same chicken curry with broiler chicken.
Marinate the chicken for atleast 30 minutes to an hour. It makes the chicken more flavorful.
Roast all the spices and red chilies on low heat until aromatic. If the spices are roasted on high heat they may not roast well and there are chances that the spices might get burnt.
You can prepare the chicken masala powder in advance. It will reduce the cooking time.
If all the whole spices are not available then add store-bought Kanda Lasun Masala for more authentic flavor. Or you can add any chicken masala of your choice. You can purchase Kanda Lasun Masala online too.
If byadgi red chilies are not available, you can use either Kashmiri red chilies or normal dried red chilies.
The easy way to cook Gavthi chicken or country chicken is to pressure cook it. But if you do not want to pressure cook it then you can cook it in a deep bottom pan. Add hot water, stir and cover it with a lid and cook it until the chicken is cooked. Keep checking it at regular intervals. Open the lid after every 10 minutes, stir and add more hot water if required. This way, it will take almost 30 minutes to cook.

Recipe Card

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