Restaurant Style Chicken Curry | Indian Chicken Curry Recipe

Restaurant Style Chicken Curry Recipe – Chicken cooked in onion, tomato, and cashew-based sauce, flavored with ginger, garlic, and aromatic Indian spices.  Serve this Indian Chicken Curry with roti/naan (Indian Flatbread) or rice.

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This is an easy chicken curry recipe made in restaurant style.  You are definitely going to love the flavors of this chicken curry.

What is Restaurant Style Chicken Curry?

Restaurant-style Chicken curries have rich, thick, and creamy gravy compared to homemade chicken curry. They look more appetizing (bright colors and beautiful garnishing) than the curries cooked at home.

Basically, the restaurant-style chicken gravy is more flavorful than a simple Indian chicken curry. There are a lot more fats, spices, and flavoring used in restaurant-style curries.

Every restaurant has its own standardized recipe for consistency. Before standardizing those recipes, a lot of taste testing and experimentation goes on to get outstanding flavors.

Frankly speaking, there is no particular recipe for restaurant-style curries or gravy. The ingredients (especially the local spices) differ from one region to the other. So, the recipe also differs from one restaurant to another.

Why does restaurant curry taste better than homemade curry?

The reasons are:

• Fats – Restaurants use more oil or fats in their curries than normal homemade curries. If you observe, the restaurant-style curries have enough oil floating at the top.
• MSG (Monosodium Glutamate) – This is a taste enhancer and a main reason that you love the flavor of restaurant-style curries. But it is not good for health.
• Professional Cooking Technique – A chef learns those skills after preparing the same dish many times. They know how and when to add ingredients. Overall how long each ingredient should be cooked to bring out the best flavors.
• Nuts – Many restaurants use nuts like cashews, almonds etc. to thicken the curries.
• Marinating – The meat is marinated for longer hours (overnight). This makes them more juicer and tastier. For homemade curries we either skip marinating the meat or marinate for a short time. This definitely makes a big difference in the flavor.
• Slow Cooking -In restaurants, the onion-tomato based gravy is cooked at low heat for longer hours that brings the best flavor in them. This technique is mostly used in butter chicken gravy.
• Pureeing and Straining the Gravy – For some curries that have a smooth buttery texture (like most Makhani Gravies) the gravy is grind to a fine paste and strained. We usually skip straining the gravy while making it at home.
• Measurement – Every restaurant has standardized recipes. They are made after a lot of experiments and taste testing. All the ingredients are properly measured and then the dish is made. So there is consistency in the taste every time.
• Added color – Sometimes to get the bright colors specially while making tandoori chicken they add red or orange food color. These food colors makes the dish look tempting but they are not good for health.

About this restaurant style chicken curry:

In this recipe post, I am sharing a restaurant-style chicken curry recipe that you can easily make at home. There is less use of fats and spices compared to the chicken curry from restaurants.

But you will love the flavors of this chicken curry. The chicken curry is rich, thick, and creamy. It is mildly spicy and the aroma is just amazing.

Recipe features:

• Easy to make – The recipe post includes step-by-step photos and a recipe video. So, even if you are a beginner, you can easily make this chicken curry.
• Easy to customize – see the ingredient list below for alternative ingredients. You can add or skip the ingredients as per your taste.
• Make ahead recipe – You can make this chicken curry ahead of time. Let it cool down completely and store it in an airtight container in the refrigerator. Stays good for 2 days.
• Freezer friendly – You can store it in the freezer. Stays good for 15 days.

Restaurant-Style Chicken Curry Ingredients:

• Chicken – You can use either boneless chicken breast or thighs. Or chicken with bone. Cut it into medium-size pieces.
• Cashews – I prefer to use cashews. They act as a thickening agent. You can substitute it with almonds. Or if you are allergic to nuts then add coconut milk. Flavors will be different with coconut milk. But do add either one of these, otherwise you will end up with a curry that is thin or watery.
• Tomatoes – Use fresh ripe red tomatoes or plum tomatoes. They are juicy and flavor the curry. To substitute, you can also use canned tomatoes.
• Onion, garlic and ginger – Basics of any Indian curry recipe.
• Spice powders – Turmeric powder, red chili powder, coriander powder, cumin powder, garam masala powder and salt. Here I have used two different red chili powders – Kashmiri red chili powder (for bright red color) and spicy red chili powder (for taste). You can substitute it with paprika.
• Yogurt/Curd – Use fresh yogurt or curd. It helps to tenderize the chicken and makes it soft and juicer. Do not skip it. Better to use thick curd or hung curd for creamier texture.
• Green chilies – You can skip adding it if you prefer less spicy.
• Cream – Use less fat cream or fresh cream. Alternatively, you can use Malai mixed with little milk. Restaurant-style curries are finished up with addition of some cream.
• Kasuri  Methi – Kasuri Methi is dried fenugreek leaves. Roast it until aromatic, crush and then add it to the gravy. It enhances the flavor and aroma of the chicken curry.
• Whole Spices – Mace, green cardamom, cinnamon and cloves. Mace gives a beautiful aroma to the curry. If you do not have it, skip it. But add the rest of the ingredients to the tempering.
• Coriander leaves or cilantro – It adds fresh flavor to the curry.
• Butter – This is an optional ingredient. You can skip it if you do not want to add extra calories.
• Oil – You can use any cooking oil that does not have a strong aroma.

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

Cooking tips:

• Use of Cashews in the chicken gravy helps to thicken it. Soak the cashews before you grind them. The cashews will become soft and you can easily grind them to a fine paste.
• Finely chop the ginger, garlic and onions. It will melt quickly when cooked and gives the gravy a beautiful texture.
• Ripe red tomatoes will add a very nice flavor and also helps to thicken the gravy. They have a sweet flavor. But if the tomatoes you are using are sour then do add ½ tsp sugar to it while grinding them.
• While cooking, make sure to cook the masala at every stage until it starts to leave oil from the sides. This makes sure that the masala is properly cooked and intensifies the flavors.
• Marinate the chicken for atleast 2 hours or overnight. Cover and keep it in the refrigerator. The longer it marinates, the better it tastes.
• Marinating the chicken also makes the chicken pieces soft and juicy from inside.
• If you are not making restaurant-style chicken curry then skip adding cream and butter. This simple homemade chicken curry still tastes good.
• Roast the Kasuri Methi until aromatic before adding it to the gravy. Kasuri methi enhances the aroma of the curry. Skip, if you do not have it.
• Butter is added at the end to finish cooking the gravy. It will give a nice glaze and flavors the gravy.

How to make Restaurant Style Chicken Curry

Preparations:

Marinate the chicken

1. In a mixing bowl combine chicken with turmeric powder, red chili powder, cumin powder, coriander powder, garam masala powder, salt and ginger-garlic paste.
2. Cover and Keep it in the refrigerator. Marinate for 2 hours.

Making the tomato-cashew paste

1. Soak Cashews in warm water for atleast 15 minutes. Drain off the water.
2. Grind tomatoes and cashews to make paste. Set it aside.

Making the Indian chicken curry

1. Heat 3 teaspoon of oil in a pan over medium heat.
2. Add whole spices, stir and cook it for 15 seconds.
3. Add ginger, garlic and onions. Stir-fry until onions are translucent.
4. Add turmeric powder, cumin powder, coriander powder, garam masala powder and salt.
5. Cook stirring occasionally until the masala starts to leave oil.
6. Add the marinated chicken. Combine with the masala and cook for 5-7 minutes.
7. Cook until masala starts to leave oil from the sides.
8. Add the prepared tomato & cashew paste. Stir to combine.
9. Add 1 cup of water to adjust the consistency of the gravy.
10. Cover and cook for 15 minutes. Stir in between to avoid gravy sticking to the bottom of the pan.
11. Check whether the chicken is completely cooked. If not add some water and cook.
12. Finally add cream, kasuri methi, green chilies, and butter. Combine and cook for 2 minutes.
13. Taste and adjust the spices. Add more salt or chili powder if required.
14. Remove from heat. Add coriander leaves and mix.
15. Restaurant-style chicken curry is ready to serve.
16. Serve with Roti or Rice.

If you like this recipe, you may also like these amazing Indian Chicken Curry recipes:

• Hyderabadi Chicken Masala
• Garlic Chicken Curry (Lehsuni Murgh)
• Mughlai Chicken Curry
• Chicken Chettinad
• Gavran Chicken Curry
• Hyderabadi Green Chicken (Hariyali Chicken)
• Chicken Changezi
• Malvani Chicken Curry
• Dhaba Style Chicken Curry

Serving Suggestion:

• Serve restaurant-style chicken curry with Roti/Naan (Indian flatbread).
• You can serve it with steamed rice or Jeera rice.
• Serve some salads, onion slices and lemon wedge on the side.

Storage Suggestion:

• Leftover Chicken curry can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator. It stays good for 2 days.
• The curry will become thick after sometime. Add some water to adjust the consistency of the gravy, reheat it & serve.

Variations that you can try:

• Add some paneer cubes to the gravy. Restaurant-style paneer masala is ready.
• Add some cooked vegetables to the gravy.
• You can saute mushrooms and make restaurant-style mushroom masala.

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5 from 2 votes

Restaurant Style Chicken Curry | Indian Chicken Curry Recipe

Restaurant Style Chicken Curry recipe – Chicken cooked in onion, tomato and cashew based sauce, flavored with ginger, garlic and spice powders. Serve this Indian Chicken Curry with roti/naan (Indian Flatbread) or rice.

Course Main

Cuisine Indian, North Indian

Prep Time 15 minutes minutes

Cook Time 45 minutes minutes

Total Time 1 hour hour

Servings 6 people

Calories 348kcal

Author Preeti

Equipment

• Heavy bottom pan

Ingredients

Tomato-Cashew paste

• 6-7 cashews Soak in water for 15 minutes.
• 4 tomatoes Ripe red tomatoes or Plum tomatoes

To marinate the chicken:

• 350 gram chicken (either boneless or chicken with bone), cut into medium size.
• 1/4 tsp turmeric powder
• 1 tsp red chili powder spicy, add as per taste
• 1/2 tsp garam masala powder
• 1/4 tsp cumin powder
• 2 tsp coriander powder
• 1/4 cup Yogurt/curd Use thick curd
• salt to taste
• 1 tbsp ginger-garlic paste

Other ingredients:

• 4 garlic cloves finely chopped
• 1 tsp finely chopped ginger
• 2 onions finely chopped
• 1/4 tsp turmeric powder
• 1/4 tsp cumin powder
• 1 tsp coriander powder
• 1/2 tsp garam masala powder
• 1 tsp Kashmiri red chili powder
• salt to taste
• 2 tbsp cream
• 1 tsp roasted Kasuri Methi
• 2 green chilies optional
• 1 tsp butter optional
• 3 tbsp chopped coriander leaves

Instructions

Marinate the chicken

• In a mixing bowl combine chicken with turmeric powder, red chili powder, cumin powder, coriander powder, garam masala powder, salt and ginger-garlic paste.
• Cover and Keep it in the refrigerator. Marinate for 2 hours.

Making the tomato-cashew paste

• Soak Cashews in warm water for atleast 15 minutes. Drain off the water.
• Grind tomatoes and cashews to make paste. Set it aside.

Making the Indian chicken curry

• Heat 3 teaspoon of oil in a pan over medium heat.
• Add whole spices, stir and cook it for 15 seconds.
• Add ginger, garlic and onions. Stir-fry until onions are translucent.
• Add turmeric powder, cumin powder, coriander powder, garam masala powder and salt.
• Cook stirring occasionally until the masala starts to leave oil.
• Add the marinated chicken. Combine with the masala and cook for 5-7 minutes.
• Cook until masala starts to leave oil from the sides.
• Add the prepared tomato & cashew paste. Stir to combine.
• Add 1 cup of water to adjust the consistency of the gravy.
• Cover and cook for 15 minutes. Stir in between to avoid gravy sticking to the bottom of the pan.
• Check whether the chicken is completely cooked. If not add some water and cook.
• Finally add cream, kasuri methi, green chilies, and butter. Combine and cook for 2 minutes.
• Taste and adjust the spices. Add more salt or chili powder, if required.
• Remove from heat. Add coriander leaves and mix.
• Restaurant-style chicken curry is ready to serve.
• Serve with Roti or Rice

Video

Notes

• The use of Cashews in the chicken gravy helps to thicken it. Soak the cashews before you grind them. The cashews will become soft and you can easily grind them to a fine paste.
• Ripe red tomatoes will add a very nice flavor and also helps to thicken the gravy. They have a sweet flavor. But if the tomatoes you are using are sour then do add ½ tsp sugar to it while grinding them.
• Marinate the chicken for at least 2 hours or overnight. After marinating the chicken, cover and keep it in the refrigerator. The longer it marinates, the better it tastes.
• Marinating the chicken also makes the chicken pieces soft and juicy from the inside.
• If you are not making restaurant-style chicken curry then skip adding cream and butter. This simple homemade chicken curry still tastes good.
• After adding cream do not cook for more than 2 minutes.
• Roast the Kasuri Methi until aromatic before adding it to the gravy.
• Butter is added at the end of cooking the gravy. It will give a nice glaze and flavor to the gravy.

If you’ve tried this Restaurant-Style Chicken Curry recipe or any other recipes on the website then do let us know how it turned out in the comments below. We love hearing from you!