Easy Chicken curry recipe
How to make chicken curry
What is Chicken curry?
Chicken curry is a traditional Indian dish made by stewing bone-in chicken pieces in a rich tomato-onion gravy infused with aromatic spices like cardamom, cumin, and coriander. It’s a beloved comfort food often served with rice or Indian breads like roti and naan.
Originating from the Indian subcontinent, this dish varies widely by region, but the core remains the same — tender chicken cooked in a flavorful, spiced gravy. This is a dish that always brings some old memories of childhood when our dear mom prepared the curry at home. Who can forget a chicken curry made by their mom? Hardly any one out there. The taste of that homemade chicken curry can not compare with any other curries. Isn't it? I can not and sure you too.
Why This Recipe?
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Made from scratch with basic ingredients.
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Quick cooking in a pressure cooker (one-pot meal).
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Uses bone-in chicken for more flavor.
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No complex spice blends; easy to follow.
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Suitable for beginners and those with busy schedules.
- Use bone in chicken pieces to make the curry as it release more juice in the curry.
- In place of garam masala use chicken masala powder which gives more taste than garam masala.
- Use some smashed garlic pods in addition to ginger garlic paste.
- Use one or two green cardamom pod to enhance the flavor.
Variations
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Aloo Chicken Curry: Add peeled potato cubes before pressure cooking.
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Creamy Curry: Add 1-2 tablespoons fresh cream or cashew nut paste for richness.
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Coconut Chicken Curry: Use coconut powder or coconut milk instead of water for a South Indian twist.
- Serve chicken curry with steam rice along with some slice onions.
- Roti, Naan and paratha with some fresh green salad is a healthy serving option for chicken curry.
- Chapati and homemade phulka can be served with it.
Steps to make Chicken Curry Recipe....
PreparationWash and clean the chicken pieces thoroughly with water for 2 - 3 times. You can marinate the Chicken pieces with salt and lemon juice for ten minutes to remove any unwanted smell. Heat oil in the cooker on medium flame heat and fry the chopped onions and smashed garlic pods together till light brown. These garlic pods brings extra flavor to the curry.
Add the ginger garlic paste and fry until the raw smell of ginger garlic paste goes off. Add green cardamom pod, turmeric powder, cumin powder, coriander powder, red chili powder and chicken masala powder. Stir for 30 seconds to release aromas. Instead of chicken masala powder, you can use garam masala powder. Add a splash of water (about 2 tablespoons) to prevent burning.
Chicken masala powder can bring more taste and flavored. Add the chopped tomatoes and fry till they become soft, mushy, and oil begins to separate from the masala.
Add the chicken pieces into the cooker and mix well with the tomato onion masala.
Add salt and cook for 2 minutes to let the chicken release its juices.
Pour one and half cup water into the cooker and mix everything evenly. Add peeled potato cubes for potato chicken curry variant.
13. Close the lid of the cooker and cook for around 10 minutes or till 6 - 7 whistles on medium flame. Switch off the flame and remove the cooker from the gas. Let the steam pass naturally from the cooker. Open the lid of the cooker and check the consistency. If too thin, simmer uncovered on high flame for 2 minutes to reduce. Garnish with fresh chopped coriander leaves serve hot.
Chicken Curry Homestyle
Chicken curry is a hearty, aromatic dish of tender chicken simmered in a spiced onion-tomato gravy, enriched with ginger, garlic, and warm spices like garam masala, often balanced with yogurt or coconut milk for a smooth, flavorful sauce
🥗 Ingredients
- 250 gm bone in chicken pieces
- 3 big onion finely chopped
- 2 medium tomato finely chopped
- 1 teaspoon ginger garlic paste
- 5 - 6 garlic pods (smashed)
- 2 green cardamom pod
- 1 bay leaf (optional)
- 1/2 teaspoon cumin powder
- 1/3 teaspoon coriander powder
- 1/3 teaspoon turmeric powder
- 1/2 teaspoon red chili powder
- 1/2 teaspoon chicken masala powder
- Coriander leaves for garnish
- Salt as per taste
- 2 tablespoon cooking oil
👩🍳 Instructions
- Wash and clean the chicken pieces nicely. You can marinate them with salt and lemon juice.
- Heat the cooker in medium flame heat and pour the oil to heat. Add the chopped onions and smashed garlic pods and fry till light brown.
- Add the ginger garlic paste and fry till the raw smell of ginger garlic paste goes off.
- Add the green cardamom pod, turmeric powder, cumin powder, coriander powder, red chili powder and chicken masala powder and stir them for 30 seconds.
- Pour little water and fry the spices for 1 minute or till the water evaporated.
- Add the chopped tomatoes and fry until the tomatoes become mashed and oil start to leaves from sides.
- Add the chicken pieces in the cooker and mix well with the tomato onion spices.
- Add 1/2 teaspoon salt and mix well with the chicken pieces and let them cook for 2 minutes to release water from the chicken pieces.
- Pour one and half cup water and stir everything to mix well.
- You can add some potato ( aloo) cubes at this stage with chicken to make aloo chicken curry. Potato chicken curry or Bengali chicken curry can be made by using this method easily.
- Close the cooker with the lid and cook for 10 minutes or till 6 - 7 whistles in high medium flame.
- Let the steam pass naturally from the cooker.
- Remove the lid and serve it sprinkling some fresh chopped coriander leaves over the curry.
- If the curry is thin then heat it for 2 minutes in high flame to reduce it.
👨🍳 Chef’s Tips
- You can marinate the chicken pieces with curd, salt and chili powder for 15 minutes for more tender and juicy texture.
- If you want to make the gravy more thick then use fried onion paste while adding the spices.
- Add 3 - 4 tablespoon coconut milk powder mixing with water before closing the lid of the cooker to make chicken curry with coconut.
📊 Nutrition (per serving)
Calories: 417 | Protein: 35 g | Fat: 27 g | Carbs: 10 g
❓ FAQs
Q1: Curry turned too thin/watery—how to thicken fast?
Stir in hot water or thin coconut milk, simmer 2–3 minutes, and recheck salt and spices
Q2: Why does curry get watery in cooker?
Chicken releases moisture; add little to no extra water before pressure, then adjust after cooking.
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