Bold, spicy, and full of flavors, chicken masala is a delicious Indian chicken curry, where marinated chicken is cooked in tomato-onion gravy. Make it in an instant pot, traditional pressure cooker, or in a pot over the stovetop using my easy recipe.
Here are some of my other favorite Indian chicken curries – Achari Chicken, Coriander Chicken, Coconut Curry Chicken, Fresh Methi Chicken, and Ginger Chicken Curry.
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About This Recipe
Chicken masala is an Indian chicken curry where chicken pieces are marinated and then cooked in a delicious onion-tomato-based gravy. Spicy and full of flavor, this curry is a huge hit at all my house parties and get-togethers.
While this is a home-style curry, you will also find it on the menu of most North Indian restaurants. Everyone has a different style of making chicken masala and the recipe also changes from region to region.
There are many variations of this chicken curry like chicken tikka masala, chicken butter masala, or malai chicken but in today’s post, I am sharing the basic chicken masala recipe that is super easy to make and even beginner cooks can easily attempt it.
You can make this curry in an instant pot, in a traditional pressure cooker, or in a pot over the stovetop. I am sharing all the 3 methods in the post below.
This recipe needs no overnight marination, uses very simple ingredients, and yet is packed with flavors. You can make it into a dry, semi-dry, or gravy dish, the choice is totally yours.
Ingredients
Chicken – I always prefer skinless bone-in chicken pieces to make the curries as they add so much flavor to it. But if you are not a bone-in chicken person, then use boneless chicken cut into 1-inch cubes.
Oil – Use any cooking oil that you prefer. I make this curry in mustard oil.
Marination Ingredients – To marinate the chicken, you will need lime juice, ginger-garlic paste, and Kashmiri red chili powder.
Adjust the red chili powder according to your taste.
Fresh Ingredients – You will need onions, tomatoes, green chili peppers, and cilantro.
Whole Spices – You will need cloves, black peppercorns, cinnamon, green cardamoms, and dry red chilies.
Spice Powders – I have used dry spice powders like coriander powder, turmeric powder, cumin powder, and fennel powder.
How To Make Chicken Masala
Marinate The Chicken
Wash 1 lb (500 g) bone-in skinless chicken ( cut into 1 and ½ inch pieces) with water and transfer the pieces to a large mixing bowl.
Add 1 tablespoon lime juice, 1 tablespoon ginger-garlic paste, and 2 teaspoon Kashmiri red chili powder to the bowl and mix well using your fingers.
Cover the bowl with a lid and keep it in the refrigerator for the chicken to marinate for at least 1 hour or up to 4 hours.
Make Chicken Masala In Instant Pot
Press SAUTE button of the instant pot and add 3 tablespoon mustard oil to it.
Lightly crush 3-4 cloves, 5-6 whole peppercorns, 1-inch piece of cinnamon stick, and 2 whole green cardamoms in a mortar and pestle.
Add the crushed whole spices and 2-3 whole dry red chilies to the pot and saute them for 2-3 seconds.
Add 1 cup chopped onions and fry until it turns golden brown (10-12 minutes). Keep stirring at regular intervals while frying.
Add 2 teaspoon coriander powder, ½ teaspoon turmeric powder, ½ teaspoon cumin powder, and ½ teaspoon fennel powder and fry until oil starts to separate from the sides (1-2 minutes). Add 2 tablespoon of water if the masala starts to burn.
Now add the marinated chicken along with the marinade and fry for 4-5 minutes. Keep stirring it frequently.
Add 1 cup grated fresh tomatoes, 2-3 green chilies (slit into half), and salt to taste and cook for 2-3 minutes.
Add 1 cup of water and close the lid of the instant pot. Set the valve to the sealing position.
Press PRESSURE COOK and set the timer to 6 minutes at high pressure.
Once the timer goes off, let the pressure release naturally for 10 minutes.
Release the remaining pressure manually and open the lid of the pot.
Add ½ teaspoon garam masala powder and 2 tablespoon chopped cilantro and mix well.
Serve hot.
Make Chicken Masala In A Pot Over Stovetop
Marinate the chicken as mentioned above.
Heat 3 tablespoon mustard oil in a pan over medium-high heat.
Lightly crush 3-4 cloves, 5-6 whole peppercorns, 1-inch piece of cinnamon stick, and 2 whole green cardamoms in a mortar and pestle.
Once the oil is hot, add crushed whole spices and 2-3 whole dry red chilies (remove the stalks) and saute them for 3-4 seconds.
Add 1 cup chopped onions and fry until they turn golden brown (8-10 minutes). Keep stirring at regular intervals while frying.
Add 2 teaspoon coriander powder, ½ teaspoon turmeric powder, ½ teaspoon cumin powder, and ½ teaspoon fennel powder and fry until oil starts to separate from the sides (1-2 minutes). Add 2 tablespoon of water if the masala starts to burn.
Now add the marinated chicken along with the marinade and fry on high heat for 4-5 minutes. Keep stirring it frequently.
Add 1 cup grated fresh tomatoes, 2-3 green chilies (slit into half), and salt to taste and cook for 2-3 minutes.
Add 1 cup of water and cover the pan with a lid. Reduce the heat to low and cook until the chicken is tender (25-30 minutes).
Add ½ teaspoon garam masala powder and 2 tablespoon chopped cilantro and mix well.
Serve hot with Naan or Phulka.
Make Chicken Masala In A Traditional Pressure Cooker
Heat 3 tablespoon oil in a pressure cooker over medium-high heat.
Lightly crush 3-4 cloves, 5-6 whole peppercorns, 1-inch piece of cinnamon stick, and 2 whole green cardamoms in a mortar and pestle.
Once the oil is hot, add crushed whole spices and 2-3 whole dry red chilies (remove the stalks) and saute them for 3-4 seconds.
Add 1 cup chopped onions and fry until it turns golden brown (8-10 minutes). Keep stirring at regular intervals while frying.
Add 2 teaspoon coriander powder, ½ teaspoon turmeric powder, ½ teaspoon cumin powder, and ½ teaspoon fennel powder and fry until oil starts to separate from the sides (2-3 minutes). Add 2 tablespoon of water if the masala starts to burn.
Now add the marinated chicken along with the marinade and fry on high heat for 4-5 minutes. Keep stirring it frequently.
Add 1 cup grated fresh tomatoes, 2-3 green chili (slit into half), and salt to taste and cook for 2-3 minutes.
Add 1 cup of water and close the lid of the pressure cooker. Pressure cook for two whistles on high heat. Remove the pressure cooker from heat and let the pressure release naturally.
Once the pressure has released, open the lid of the cooker. If the liquid is too much for your liking, cook the curry until it thickens. Add ½ teaspoon garam masala powder and 2 tablespoon chopped cilantro and mix well.
Serve hot with Naan or Phulka.
Pro Tips By Neha
You can add cashew paste, almond paste, sesame seeds paste, poppy seed paste, or coconut paste to this recipe for a taste change.
Add yogurt whisked with 1 teaspoon of all-purpose flour for a slightly different gravy. Flour is added to prevent the yogurt from curdling while cooking. It also makes the gravy creamier.
You can keep this chicken dish dry, semi-dry, or with thin gravy.
Bone-in skinless chicken gives the best flavor but you can make the curry using boneless chicken too.
Adjust the red chili powder according to your taste.
Add some heavy cream at the end of the cooking to make the curry richer.
Make a paste of ½ cup cilantro, ¼ cup mint, and 2 green chilies, and add it along with tomatoes to make a green masala chicken.
Serving Suggestions
You can serve this chicken masala curry with any Indian bread such as Phulka, Tawa Paratha, Laccha Paratha, Naan, Missi Roti, Rumali Roti, or any other bread you prefer.
It also tastes great with Steamed Rice or Jeera Rice.
Storage Suggestions
You can store this chicken masala in an airtight container in the refrigerator for about 2 days.
You can also freeze it for later use. Once the chicken curry is ready, let it cool down completely. Place it into an airtight container and freeze for about 2 months.
You can either reheat it in the pan or in the microwave. Thaw the chicken for 2-3 hours over the counter. Then add it to a pan with a little water, and heat it for about 5 to 8 minutes. Make sure that you stir it occasionally in between.
To reheat it in a microwave, place the chicken masala curry in a microwave-safe bowl and microwave for 3 minutes. Stir and heat again for about 3 to 4 minutes or until the chicken is heated properly. Add some water if the curry looks dry.
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Recipe Card
Chicken Masala Recipe
Equipment
Ingredients
For Marination
- 1 pound bone-in chicken (500 g, cut into 1-½ inch chunks)
- 1 tablespoon lime juice
- 1 tablespoon ginger garlic paste
- 2 teaspoons Kashmiri red chili powder
For The Curry
- 3 tablespoons cooking oil (I use mustard oil)
- 3-4 whole cloves
- 5-6 whole black peppercorns
- 1 inch piece of cinnamon
- 2 whole green cardamoms
- 2-3 whole dry red chilies
- 1 cup chopped onions
- 2 teaspoons coriander powder
- ½ teaspoon turmeric powder
- ½ teaspoon roasted cumin powder
- ½ teaspoon fennel powder
- 1 cup grated tomatoes
- 2-3 green chilies (slit in half)
- salt (to taste)
- ½ teaspoon garam masala powder
- 2 tablespoons chopped cilantro (coriander)
Instructions
Marinate The Chicken
- Wash the chicken pieces and transfer them to a large non-reactive mixing bowl. Add lime juice, ginger-garlic paste, and Kashmiri red chili powder and mix well using your fingers.
- Cover the bowl with a lid and refrigerate for at least 1 hour or better for 2-3 hours.
Make Chicken Masala In An Instant Pot
- Press SAUTE button of the instant pot and add cooking oil to it.
- Lightly crush the cloves, whole peppercorns, cinnamon stick, and whole green cardamoms in a mortar and pestle.
- Add the crushed whole spices and whole dry red chilies to the pot and saute them for 2-3 seconds.
- Add chopped onions and fry until it turns golden brown (10-12 minutes). Keep stirring at regular intervals while frying.
- Add coriander powder, turmeric powder, cumin powder, and fennel powder and fry until oil starts to separate from the sides (1-2 minutes). Add 2 tablespoon of water if the masala starts to burn.
- Now add the marinated chicken along with the marinade and fry for 4-5 minutes. Keep stirring it frequently.
- Add tomatoes, green chilies, and salt and cook for 2-3 minutes.
- Add 1 cup of water and close the lid of the instant pot. Set the valve to the sealing position.
- Press PRESSURE COOK and set the timer to 6 minutes at high pressure.
- Once the timer goes off, let the pressure release naturally for 10 minutes.
- Release the remaining pressure manually and open the lid of the pot.
- Add garam masala powder and cilantro and mix well. Serve hot.
Make Chicken Masala In A Traditional Pressure Cooker
- Heat oil in a pressure cooker over medium-high heat.
- Lightly crush the whole spices in a mortar and pestle.
- Once the oil is hot, add crushed whole spices and dry red chilies and saute them for 3-4 seconds.
- Add onions and fry until it turns golden brown (8-10 minutes). Keep stirring at regular intervals while frying.
- Add the spice powders and fry until oil starts to separate from the sides (1-2 minutes). Add 2 tablespoon of water if the masala starts to burn.
- Now add the marinated chicken along with the marinade and fry on high heat for 4-5 minutes. Keep stirring it frequently.
- Add tomatoes, green chilies, and salt and cook for 2-3 minutes.
- Add 1 cup of water and close the lid of the pressure cooker. Pressure cook for two whistles on high heat. Remove the pressure cooker from heat and let the pressure release naturally.
- Once the pressure has released, open the lid of the cooker. If the liquid is too much for your liking, cook the curry until it thickens. Add garam masala powder and cilantro and mix well. Serve hot.
Make Chicken Masala In A Pot Over The StoveTop
- Heat 3 tablespoon mustard oil in a pan over medium-high heat.
- Lightly crush cloves, peppercorns, cinnamon stick, and green cardamoms in a mortar and pestle.
- Once the oil is hot, add crushed whole spices and dry red chilies (remove the stalks) and saute them for 3-4 seconds.
- Add onions and fry until they turn golden brown (8-10 minutes). Keep stirring at regular intervals while frying.
- Add coriander powder, turmeric powder, cumin powder, and fennel powder and fry until oil starts to separate from the sides (1-2 minutes). Add 2 tablespoons of water if the masala starts to burn.
- Now add the marinated chicken along with the marinade and fry on high heat for 4-5 minutes. Keep stirring it frequently.
- Add tomatoes, green chilies, and salt and cook for 2-3 minutes.
- Add 1 cup of water and cover the pan with a lid. Reduce the heat to low and cook until the chicken is tender (25-30 minutes).
- Add garam masala powder and cilantro and mix well.
- Serve hot with Naan or Phulka.
