Description
A delicious recipe for spiced chicken thighs cooked with aromatic spices and served with rice.
Ingredients
Scale
- 2 pounds boneless skinless chicken thighs, cut into bite-size pieces
- 3 tablespoons ghee, divided
- 1 teaspoon mustard seeds
- 1 large red onion, finely diced, nearly minced
- 6 cloves garlic, grated or very finely minced
- 2 tablespoons fresh ginger, grated or very finely minced
- 2 Roma tomatoes, finely diced, or 1 cup crushed tomatoes
- 2 serrano chiles, slit lengthwise
- 1½ tablespoons curry powder
- 1 teaspoon ground coriander
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- ½ teaspoon turmeric
- 1 pinch cinnamon
- 1½ cups water or chicken stock
- ½ cup plain yogurt, full-fat
- ¼ cup coconut milk, optional
- ½ teaspoon garam masala
- salt to taste
- steamed basmati rice
- fresh cilantro, chopped
Instructions
- Pat chicken thighs dry with paper towels; season lightly with salt.
- Heat 1½ tablespoons ghee in wide pot or deep skillet over medium-high heat.
- Brown chicken in batches until just golden on outside—not cooked through. Remove and set aside.
- Add remaining 1½ tablespoons ghee to the same pot. Add 1 teaspoon mustard seeds; cook 30–60 seconds until fragrant.
- Add tomatoes, serrano chiles, 1½ tablespoons curry powder, 1 teaspoon coriander, 1 teaspoon cumin, ½ teaspoon turmeric, and pinch of cinnamon. Cook 5–7 minutes, stirring frequently, until mixture darkens and looks jammy. If mixture sticks, add a splash of water and continue cooking.
- Return browned chicken to the pot; stir to coat in the spiced base. Add 1½ cups water or chicken stock, scraping up browned bits from the bottom of the pot.
- Bring to a simmer, then reduce heat. Simmer uncovered 15–20 minutes, stirring occasionally, until sauce is loose and glossy.
- Reduce heat to low. Slowly stir in ½ cup plain yogurt, a little at a time. Add ¼ cup coconut milk if using. Simmer gently 3–5 minutes.
- Turn off heat. Stir in ½ teaspoon garam masala. Adjust salt. Rest 10 minutes before serving.
- Serve over steamed basmati rice; top with fresh chopped cilantro if desired.
Notes
- This dish can be customized with additional spices or vegetables based on preference.
- For a milder flavor, reduce the amount of serrano chiles.
- Serve with naan or roti for a complete meal.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 40 minutes
- Category: Main Course
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Indian
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 plate
- Calories: 450
- Sugar: 5g
- Sodium: 600mg
- Fat: 25g
- Saturated Fat: 10g
- Unsaturated Fat: 15g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 40g
- Fiber: 3g
- Protein: 30g
- Cholesterol: 100mg