Kadai Chicken
Kadai Chicken
Ingredients
For the Marinade
- 1 kg bone-in chicken
- 100 g curd
- 2 tablespoons ginger-garlic paste
- 2 teaspoons Kashmiri chilli powder
- 1 teaspoon turmeric
- 1 teaspoon coriander powder
- 1 teaspoon garam masala
- 2 teaspoons lemon juice
- to taste salt
- 1 teaspoon mustard oil
For the Kadai Masala
- 2 tablespoons coriander seeds
- 1 teaspoon cumin seeds
- 1 teaspoon fennel seeds
- 1 teaspoon peppercorns
- 5-6 dried red chillies
For the Gravy
- 1 tablespoon ghee
- 1 bay leaf
- 1 inch cinnamon
- 1 black cardamom
- 2 green cardamom
- 2 onions, medium, chopped
- 1 tablespoon garlic paste
- 250 g tomato puree
- as needed hot water
To Finish
- 1 teaspoon ghee
- 1 onion, large, cubed
- 1 capsicum, cubed
- 1 pinch salt
- 50 ml cream, diluted with water, or half-and-half
- 1 teaspoon kasuri methi
- 4-5 green chillies, slit
- 1/2 inch ginger, julienned
- 1 tablespoon coriander leaves, chopped
Instructions
- 1
In a large bowl, combine the bone-in chicken with curd, ginger-garlic paste, Kashmiri chilli powder, turmeric, coriander powder, garam masala, lemon juice, salt to taste, and mustard oil. Mix well to ensure the chicken is fully coated. Marinate for at least 30 minutes to 1 hour; for best results, marinate overnight in the refrigerator.
⏱️ 10 min
- 2
In a dry pan over medium heat, dry roast the coriander seeds, cumin seeds, fennel seeds, peppercorns, and dried red chillies until fragrant (about 2-3 minutes). Remove from heat and allow to cool slightly. Grind the roasted spices to a coarse powder using a mortar and pestle or a spice grinder. Set aside.
⏱️ 10 min
- 3
Heat 1 tablespoon of ghee in a large kadai or heavy-bottomed pan over medium heat. Add the bay leaf, cinnamon, black cardamom, and green cardamom. Sauté for about 30 seconds until fragrant. Add the chopped onions and garlic paste, and cook, stirring occasionally, until the onions turn golden brown (about 8-10 minutes).
⏱️ 15 min
- 4
Add the prepared kadai masala to the pan and stir for 1 minute until fragrant. Then, add the tomato puree. Cook, stirring frequently, until the raw smell of the tomatoes disappears and the mixture starts to thicken and the oil separates from the sides (about 8-10 minutes).
⏱️ 10 min
- 5
Add the marinated chicken to the gravy along with a little hot water (about 1/4 to 1/2 cup) to adjust consistency. Stir well to combine. Cover the pan and cook on medium-low heat until the chicken is tender and cooked through, and the gravy has thickened to your desired consistency (about 20-25 minutes). Stir occasionally to prevent sticking.
⏱️ 25 min
- 6
While the chicken is cooking, heat 1 teaspoon of ghee in a separate small pan over high heat. Add the cubed onion and capsicum with a pinch of salt. Stir-fry quickly until the vegetables are just charred but still retain some crunch (about 2-3 minutes). Fold these stir-fried vegetables into the chicken gravy.
⏱️ 5 min
- 7
To finish, stir in the diluted cream (or half-and-half), kasuri methi, slit green chillies, ginger julienne, and chopped coriander leaves. Cook for another 2-3 minutes, just until heated through. Do not boil after adding cream. Serve hot with naan, roti, or rice.
⏱️ 5 min
Kitchen Tools
Nutrition Facts (per serving)
Kadai Chicken
For the Marinade
- 1 kg bone-in chicken
- 100 g curd
- 2 tablespoons ginger-garlic paste
- 2 teaspoons Kashmiri chilli powder
- 1 teaspoon turmeric
- 1 teaspoon coriander powder
- 1 teaspoon garam masala
- 2 teaspoons lemon juice
- to taste salt
- 1 teaspoon mustard oil
For the Kadai Masala
- 2 tablespoons coriander seeds
- 1 teaspoon cumin seeds
- 1 teaspoon fennel seeds
- 1 teaspoon peppercorns
- 5-6 dried red chillies
For the Gravy
- 1 tablespoon ghee
- 1 bay leaf
- 1 inch cinnamon
- 1 black cardamom
- 2 green cardamom
- 2 onions, medium, chopped
- 1 tablespoon garlic paste
- 250 g tomato puree
- as needed hot water
To Finish
- 1 teaspoon ghee
- 1 onion, large, cubed
- 1 capsicum, cubed
- 1 pinch salt
- 50 ml cream, diluted with water, or half-and-half
- 1 teaspoon kasuri methi
- 4-5 green chillies, slit
- 1/2 inch ginger, julienned
- 1 tablespoon coriander leaves, chopped
Instructions
- 1
In a large bowl, combine the bone-in chicken with curd, ginger-garlic paste, Kashmiri chilli powder, turmeric, coriander powder, garam masala, lemon juice, salt to taste, and mustard oil. Mix well to ensure the chicken is fully coated. Marinate for at least 30 minutes to 1 hour; for best results, marinate overnight in the refrigerator.
⏱️ 10 min - 2
In a dry pan over medium heat, dry roast the coriander seeds, cumin seeds, fennel seeds, peppercorns, and dried red chillies until fragrant (about 2-3 minutes). Remove from heat and allow to cool slightly. Grind the roasted spices to a coarse powder using a mortar and pestle or a spice grinder. Set aside.
⏱️ 10 min - 3
Heat 1 tablespoon of ghee in a large kadai or heavy-bottomed pan over medium heat. Add the bay leaf, cinnamon, black cardamom, and green cardamom. Sauté for about 30 seconds until fragrant. Add the chopped onions and garlic paste, and cook, stirring occasionally, until the onions turn golden brown (about 8-10 minutes).
⏱️ 15 min - 4
Add the prepared kadai masala to the pan and stir for 1 minute until fragrant. Then, add the tomato puree. Cook, stirring frequently, until the raw smell of the tomatoes disappears and the mixture starts to thicken and the oil separates from the sides (about 8-10 minutes).
⏱️ 10 min - 5
Add the marinated chicken to the gravy along with a little hot water (about 1/4 to 1/2 cup) to adjust consistency. Stir well to combine. Cover the pan and cook on medium-low heat until the chicken is tender and cooked through, and the gravy has thickened to your desired consistency (about 20-25 minutes). Stir occasionally to prevent sticking.
⏱️ 25 min - 6
While the chicken is cooking, heat 1 teaspoon of ghee in a separate small pan over high heat. Add the cubed onion and capsicum with a pinch of salt. Stir-fry quickly until the vegetables are just charred but still retain some crunch (about 2-3 minutes). Fold these stir-fried vegetables into the chicken gravy.
⏱️ 5 min - 7
To finish, stir in the diluted cream (or half-and-half), kasuri methi, slit green chillies, ginger julienne, and chopped coriander leaves. Cook for another 2-3 minutes, just until heated through. Do not boil after adding cream. Serve hot with naan, roti, or rice.
⏱️ 5 min