This dish is similar to the bhuna stlye which is a fairly dry dish, and a form of stir-frying. The sauce turns into a thick paste which coats the chicken, when the cooking is finished. Strips of red and green chilli, and roughly cut coriander leaves make the chicken appear very mouth-watering, and it tastes yummy with naan bread, roti or chapati accompanied with chutney or raitha.

The Preparation time for chilli chicken is around 20 minutes and including marinating. The cooking time depends on how you cook, but roughly it takes 25-35 minutes.

This dish is similar to the bhuna stlye which is a fairly dry dish, and a form of stir-frying. The sauce turns into a thick paste which coats the chicken, when the cooking is finished. Strips of red and green chilli, and roughly cut coriander leaves make the chicken appear very mouth-watering, and it tastes yummy with naan bread, roti or chapati accompanied with chutney or raitha.

The Preparation time for chilli chicken is around 20 minutes and including marinating. The cooking time depends on how you cook, but roughly it takes 25-35 minutes.

Recipe To Make Chilli Chicken

Required Ingredients	Necessary Quantity & Style
Boneless chicken thighs	You will need 8 which are skinned and halved
Lemon Juice	2 tablespoons
Salt	1 teaspoon
Ginger puree	2 teaspoons
Garlic puree	2 teaspoons
Ground turmeric	Half a teaspoon
Ground roasted coriander	1 teaspoon
Brown onion puree	280 grams (10oz)
Sugar	1 and a half teaspoons
Tomatoes	225 grams (8oz) finely chopped
Water	75ml warm water
Red chillies	1 or 2 (seeded and cut into julienne strips)
Green chillies	1 or 2 (seeded and cut into julienne strips)
Garam masalla	Half a teaspoon
Fresh coriander	2 or 3 tablespoons coarsle chopped coriander
Chilli powder	1 half to 1 teaspoon
Ground roasted cumin	1 teaspoon

 

Cooking procedure:

1. Place the chicken thighs in a large bowl and rub the lemon juice and salt into the pieces. Set it aside for at least 30 minutes.
2. You will need a non-stick saucepan at least 12 inches (30cm) in diameter. Put the chicken in the pan and add the garlic and ginger purees.
   
   Cook over medium heat, stirring, until sizzling. Increase the heat to high and cook for another 2 or 3 minutes, by stirring constantly.
3. Add the chilli powder, turmeric powder, cumin and ground coriander, and reduce the heat to medium again. Contanstly stir the chicken with the added ingredients for another 2 minutes.
4. Stir in half the browned onion puree and cook for 4-5 minutes, stirring occasionally, then add the remaing half of the onion puree along with the sugar. Continue to cook for another 4-5 minutes, and stirring frequently.
5. Add the tomatoes and the water, mix well and then cover the saucepan tightly.
6. Reduce the heat to low and cook for 10 minutes.
7. Remove the saucepan lid and increase the heat to medium now. Continue to cook for 3-4 minutes, stirring frequently, then add the red and green chillies and the garam masalla. Cook for 4-5 minutes or until the sauce has thickened.
8. Lastly, stir in the fresh coriander leaves and cook for 1 more minute. Remove the pan from the heat and serve immediately.

Extra tip - Removing the seed from the chillies will reduce their pungency. If you wish to reduce the strength of the heat further, soak the julienne strips in cold water until required. Drain them well before adding to the dish.

If you want to learn about making purees at home, rather than purchasing them, please check out my blog to find out how: howtocookpreparebasicindiandishes.blogspot.co.uk/

The second blog is about particular Indian ingredients which are essential to Indian cooking: http://indianingredientsyouneedtoknow.blogspot.co.uk/

 

 

Learn how to cook chicken tikka masalla in my other column - http://expertscolumn.com/content/how-cook-chicken-tikka-masalla