Buck's Everyday Chicken Curry
A home chicken curry can be fun and easy. It begin with an onion, ripe tomatoes and a few familiar spices. This independently written recipe cooks bone-in chicken directly in the sauce! It makes a delicious family supper. Serve with a side sale, rice, flatbread and something crisp alongside are enough to make it a meal.
For four people
- 2.2 pounds bone-in chicken thighs or mixed thigh and drumstick pieces
- 2 tablespoons neutral oil
- 2 medium onions, finely chopped
- 4 garlic cloves, minced, and 0.7 ounce fresh ginger, grated
- 1 pound chopped tomatoes
- 2 teaspoons ground coriander and 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1/2 teaspoon turmeric and 1/2 teaspoon New Mexico chile powder
- 1 teaspoon garam masala
- 1 teaspoon dried fenugreek leaves, crumbled
- 1 1/4 cups water; salt to taste
- 3 tablespoons plain yoghurt, optional, and fresh cilantro for serving
Cook the curry
Warm the oil in a wide pot. Cook the onion slowly until soft and beginning to color, stirring so the bottom does not stick. Add the fresh garlic and ginger. Stir in coriander, cumin, turmeric and chile powder, then add the tomatoes. Cook gently until the tomatoes have softened into a sauce, adding a little water if the pot becomes dry.
Put the chicken into the sauce and turn each piece to coat it. Add the water and a little salt. Bring to a gentle simmer, cover loosely and cook until the chicken is tender and fully cooked, starting to check after about 35 minutes. Turn the pieces occasionally.
Stir in garam masala and the fenugreek leaves. If using yoghurt, stir it into a few spoonfuls of warm sauce in a separate bowl, then return that mixture to the pot over a gentle heat. Taste for salt. Serve with the fresh cilantro and your choice of rice or bread. The yoghurt is optional; it can soften the tomato's edge.
What each cupboard ingredient does
Coriander gives a rounded fragrance, cumin supplies earthiness and turmeric adds a dry, slightly bitter note. The New Mexico chile powder is our specific mild-to-moderate chile choice here.
Garam masala varies by maker. We like the Buck's blend for this, as it has its own character.
Make the next curry better
If the sauce tastes raw or sour, let the tomato cook more fully before adding chicken next time. If it has reduced too far, thin with a little hot water. If the chile is too gentle, increase it modestly in the next pot or offer a chile condiment at the table. If bitterness is the first impression, reconsider the amount of turmeric for the next time.
The finished pot should taste savory, and fragrant.