Chicken Masala(Dry)

I guess it’s been a really long time since I posted a non-vegetarian dish. So after many weeks, presenting to you Chicken Masala! I love chicken and I love this dish more. All credits go to another main ingredient in this dish, Kasuri Methi. According to me, Kasuri Methi is one of the magic ingredients which can uplift something even as simple as dal. The original recipe calls for a slightly lesser amount of Kasuri Methi. But as it is my fav, I have add it generously. The flavour of this dish is simply superb. As we marinate the chicken for an hour, when we eat the dish, we can see (taste) that the flavour has been absorbed by the chicken and is also very tender and juicy to eat.  

I found this recipe on instagram. It was posted by fellow instagramer Nidhi, @platterjoy.  When I saw this in her instagram stories, the final addition of kasuri methi caught my attention and I decided that I had to give it a try. Thanks for the yummy recipe Nidhi! This dish can be eaten on a Sunday as a side, along with some steaming rice and chicken curry, or with Coconut milk rice. You can also use the masala to make some masala rice.

Preparation time: 5minutes + marination (1 hour)|
 Cooking time: 30 to 40 minutes
Course: Sides | Cuisine: Indian

Ingredients:

Chicken – 1 kg

Onion- 3 to 4

Tomatoes-3

Ginger garlic paste- 1 tblsp

Chicken masala- 2 tblsp

Garam masala- ¾ th tblsp

Dry methi leaves- a handful

To temper:

Oil- 2 to 3 tblsp

Cumin seeds- 1 tsp

Cinnamon- 2 to 3 sticks

Cardamom- 6 to 7

Bay leaves- 4 to 5

Red chilies- 3 to 4

Asafoetida-1/2 tsp

Marinade for chicken:

Curd- 4 tblsp

Turmeric- ½ tsp

Red chili powder- 1 tsp

Black pepper powder- 2 tsp

Salt- as needed

Method:

1.      Marinate the chicken with the ingredients given under the marinade section. Rest it for an hour.

2.      Meanwhile cut the onion and tomatoes into small pieces and keep ready.

3.      Heat oil in a kadai. Add all the ingredients given under temper section all at once.

4.      Add finely chopped onions and ginger garlic paste. Stir well. Cook till the onions turn slightly brown in colour.

5.      Now add the diced tomatoes and cook for five minutes.

6.      When the tomatoes are finely mashed, add the chicken masala and gram masala. Stir well and cook for another five minutes.

7.      Now add the marinated chicken. Mix well and check for salt. Add some more if needed. Cover the kadai and cook till the chicken pieces become tender. Keep stirring in between to avoid sticking at the base.

8.      Once the chicken pieces are cooked fully and the masala dries up to the required consistency, add a handful of dry kasoori methi. Mix well and switch off flame.

9.      Serve hot with rice or rotis.

Notes:

·        The original recipe is with boneless chicken. Since we prefer to have with bones, I have not used boneless. However, you can try it either way.

·        Increase the spice levels according to your preference.

·        The more you marinate the chicken the more tender it will be.

Step by step pictures

 marinate the chicken with ingredients 

given under marinade section

rest it for an hour

 ingredients to be tempered

 heat oil in a kadai.

add the ingredients to be 

tempered all at one time

 add finely chopped onions and

 ginger garlic paste. fry till onions turn brown

 then add the tomatoes.

cook for five minutes.

once tomatoes are mashed well

add chicken masala powder and garam masala

stir well.

 add the marinated chicken pieces

give it a mix

 keep it covered and cook it until 

chicken pieces become tender

 when the chicken is fully cooked

add a handful of dry kasuri methi leaves.