Restaurant Style Chicken Angara is a spicy chicken curry made using freshly ground masala powder. Check out its recipe here!
Who can say no to a spicy chicken curry with smoky flavour?
Well, I certainly cannot and this Chicken Angara is one such recipe which is very popular at home and also gets a lot of compliments whenever I make it for my friends and family.
The smoky flavour of the chicken, the yogurt gravy with fried onions and garlic and that slight hint of kasuri methi, the flavours of this curry can make anyone hungry.
Well, if you are not sold at this. Then wait until you smell the divine aroma of this recipe, I am sure you will not be able to resist to devour this delectable Chicken recipe.
You can also find this dish in most of the North Indian restaurants.
So if you want a restaurant style Chicken Angara, you don’t have to visit a restaurant.
Just follow the recipe and make it in your kitchen and enjoy it at the comfort of your own home.
Therefore, get all the ingredients ready and make this curry this weekend and enjoy every bite of it with your friends and family.
What is Chicken Angara?
Succulent chicken pieces in a rich yogurt based gravy, this is a North Indian curry that just needs everyday ingredients which are already available in your pantry.
This chicken gravy is smoked at the end to bring out that rustic flavour, which makes this curry even more irresistible.
The spices play an important role in the taste of this curry.
Coriander seeds, black peppercorn, cinnamon, cumin seeds, beg red chillies are dry roasted and ground into a fine powder to make this spice powder.
The fresh homemade masala always has a distant flavour because of the freshly roasted spices, and thus it always brings a sense of freshness in the curries.
You must be wondering why it is called Chicken Angara?
Well, Angara is a hindi term used for coal and this curry is also smoked with charcoal.
A charcoal is heated on direct flame until it is red hot.
Once it is hot, add it in a bowl and keep it in the middle of the chicken curry.
Drizzle 1 teaspoon ghee on top of the charcoal and immediately cover the lid of the pan.
Let the curry absorb the smoke for 3 to 4 minutes.
Remove the coal bowl and you will see that the curry will have a beautiful smoky flavour.
Ingredients
Serving Suggestions
This curry tastes best with Handi Biryani.
It adds a beautiful smoky aroma and taste when mixed with the soft aromatic Biryani rice.
You can serve it with any Indian bread too such as Rumali Roti, Tandoori Roti, Tawa Paratha, Lachha Paratha, Missi Roti, Naan or any other Indian bread that you would like to serve it with.
You can also serve it along with Steamed Rice, Jeera Rice or Pyaaz Pulao.
I like to serve some Lacchedar Pyaaz on the side with a hint of lemon juice.
Step by Step Recipe
Add all the ingredients to marinate in a bowl and mix well.
Keep aside.
Dry roast coriander seeds, black peppercorn, cinnamon, cumin seeds and bedgi red chillies until they are slightly browned and fragrant. Remove the pan from heat and let the spices cool.
Grind them to make smooth powder.
Heat ghee and oil in a pan.
Add bay leaves, cloves, black cardamom in the pan and fry for a few seconds.
Add the marinated chicken and the ground masala.
Cover the pan and cook for 30-35 minutes on medium low heat until chicken is cooked well.
For Smoking
Heat charcoal on direct flame until it is red hot. Keep a small bowl in the centre of the pan and keep the charcoal in the bowl. Drizzle 1 tsp ghee on top of the charcoal and immediately cover the lid of the pan. Let the curry absorb the smoke for 3-4 minutes. Garnish with fresh coriander and serve hot.

Chicken Angara Recipe
Ingredients
To marinate
- 1 kg Chicken (Curry cut)
- 1 cup Yogurt
- ½ cup Golden Fried Onion
- 2 tbsp Ginger Garlic Paste
- ½ cup Tomato (Grated)
- 2 tbsp Kashmiri Red Chilli Powder
- 1 tsp Turmeric Powder
- Salt to taste
- ½ tsp Garam Masala Powder
- 1 tbsp Kasuri Methi
To roast and grind
- 1 tbsp Coriander Seeds
- 1 tsp Black Peppercorns
- 2 inch Cinnamon
- 1 tsp Cumin Seeds
- 8-10 Dry Red Chillies
For the gravy
- 3 tbsp Ghee
- 3 tbsp Vegetable Oil
- 2 Bay Leaves
- 3-4 Cloves
- 2 Black Cardamom
For smoking
- 1 piece Charcoal
- 1 tsp Ghee
Instructions
- Add all the ingredients to marinate in a bowl and mix well.
- Keep aside.
- Dry roast coriander seeds, black peppercorn, cinnamon, cumin seeds and bedgi red chillies until they are slightly browned and fragrant.
- Remove the pan from heat and let the spices cool.
- Grind them to make smooth powder.
- Heat ghee and oil in a pan.
- Add bay leaves, cloves, black cardamom in the pan and fry for a few seconds.
- Add the marinated chicken and the ground masala.
- Cover the pan and cook for 30-35 minutes on medium low heat until chicken is cooked well.
For smoking
- Heat charcoal on direct flame until it is red hot.
- Keep a small bowl in the centre of the pan and keep the charcoal in the bowl.
- Drizzle 1 tsp ghee on top of the charcoal and immediately cover the lid of the pan.
- Let the curry absorb the smoke for 3-4 minutes.
- Garnish with fresh coriander and serve hot.