This Dhaba style chicken curry is a flavorful and spicy chicken curry from road side restaurant. It is made with chicken cooked in onion-tomato masala flavored with basic Indian spices. Here’s how to make this easy chicken curry recipe in 30 minutes. You can make it in a pressure cooker or instant pot. Serve it with your favorite Naan bread or jeera rice.
Prep Time5 minutesmins
Cook Time25 minutesmins
Total Time30 minutesmins
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: Indian
Servings: 4people
Calories: 391kcal
Author: Preeti
Equipment
1 Pressure cooker or a pot
Ingredients
To marinate the chicken
600gchicken
1tablespoonginger-garlic paste
salt to taste
2teaspoonlemon juice
To make chicken curry
¼cupoil (any cooking oil with neutral flavor and high smoke point)
2dried red chilies
1bay leaf
1teaspooncumin
2green cardamoms(crack open and then add)
4cloves
1-inchcinnamon
½teaspoonblack peppercorns
1cupfinely chopped onions
1tablespoonginger-garlic paste
½teaspoonturmeric
2teaspoonKashmiri red chili powder
3teaspooncoriander powder
1cuptomato puree5 tomatoes blended to make puree
½cupfull fat yogurt
2-3tablespoonfinely chopped coriander leaves
1teaspoonkasuri methi
1teaspoongaram masala powder
2green chilies
Instructions
Preparations
Finely chop the onions and cut green chilies into 1-inch pieces.
Puree the tomatoes in a blender or mixer jar until smooth. Grate the ginger and garlic, or blend them to a fine paste.
Marinate the chicken pieces with ginger-garlic paste, salt and lemon juice for atleast 30 minutes.
Making the chicken curry
Heat ¼ cup of oil in a pressure cooker over medium heat.
Add the whole spices (dried red chilies, bay leaf, cumin, green cardamoms, cloves, cinnamon, and black peppercorns). Slightly crack open the green cardamoms before adding them to prevent them from popping. Sauté the spices for 30 seconds, or until fragrant.
Add onions, sauté until onions are soft.
Next, add ginger-garlic paste. Stir and cook until the sides of onions starts to become golden. Do not overcook the onions as it will taste bitter in the curry.
Stir in the marinated chicken pieces and cook until they change color from pink to white.
Season with turmeric powder, Kashmiri red chili powder, and coriander powder. Mix well and cook for a minute. If the spices start to burn add a splash of water.
Add the tomato puree and cook for 2-3 minutes, stirring frequently, until it reaches a boil. Gently scrape the bottom of the cooker to prevent the masala from sticking.
Reduce the heat to low, add yogurt. Cook stirring continuously until it starts to boil.
Increase the heat to medium-high and add salt. Note: Salt was previously added while marinating the chicken so adjust the amount accordingly.
Pour in ¼ cup of hot water, secure the lid, and cook on medium heat for 2 whistles. If you are making this curry in a pot, cover it with a lid and cook the chicken until it is cooked or reaches an internal temperature of 165°F (74°C). This can take approximately 15 minutes, depending on the size and thickness of the chicken pieces.
Remove from heat. Allow the pressure to release naturally before opening the cooker.
Add fresh coriander leaves, Kasuri methi, garam masala, and green chilies. Simmer for 2 minutes to allow the flavors to meld. Serve hot with Naan or rice.
Video
Notes
For an authentic dhaba experience cook this curry in mustard oil, for an extra depth of flavor. Heat mustard oil in the pot or pan until the smoke starts to appear. Remove from heat and allow it to cool slightly (to cooking temperature), before using.
For a richer flavor, use ghee instead of oil.
Do not cut down the quantity of oil. The onion and spices need enough oil to roast properly and also to avoid burning in the pot.
Yogurt curdles sometimes in the curry. To prevent that, add yogurt at low heat and cook stirring continuously until it comes to a boil.
Do not use the yogurt taken straight out of the refrigerator. Let it come to room temperature before you add it to the curry.
Adjust the amount of chili powder according to your preferred spice level.
If you don't have all these whole spices, no worries! Just add one or two that you do have.