Chicken Masala
on Jan 16, 2021, Updated Dec 07, 2023
Chicken Masala is a bold, spicy, and super flavorful Indian chicken curry made by cooking chicken in an onion-tomato-based gravy. Use my easy recipe to make it restaurant-style.
Here are some of my other favorite Indian chicken curries: Achari Chicken Curry, Coriander Chicken, and Malai Chicken.
I have learned to make so many different types of chicken curries that I could possibly write a book on the topic. However, the most common curry I make at home is this robust chicken curry, made by cooking chicken pieces in an onion-tomato masala.
I learned to make it from a chef at one of the restaurants in my hometown, Jhansi. Spicy and full of flavor, this curry is a huge hit at all my house parties and get-togethers. You must try it too!
About Chicken Masala
Chicken Masala is an Indian curry with marinated chicken pieces cooked in a delicious onion-tomato-based gravy.
You will also find it on the menu of most North Indian restaurants. Everyone has a different style of making chicken masala; the recipe also changes from region to region.
In this post, I am sharing the basic restaurant-style 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, a traditional pressure cooker, or over the stovetop. I share all three methods in the post below.
This easy gluten-free murgh masala recipe does not require overnight marination. It uses straightforward ingredients and is packed with flavors.
If making it in an instant pot, use a 3-quart IP. And if making it in a traditional stovetop pressure cooker, use a 3-liter pressure cooker.
If scaling the recipe, use a bigger IP (6 quarts) or pressure cooker (5 liters). The cooking time will remain the same.
Is Chicken Masala The Same As Chicken Tikka Masala?
No, these two curries are very different. To make chicken tikka masala, boneless chicken pieces are marinated and grilled. They are then simmered in a creamy, tomatoey sauce. On the other hand, chicken masala is a robust curry that uses lots of Indian spices.
Ingredients
Chicken – I always prefer skinless bone-in chicken pieces to make the curries, which add so much flavor. But if you are not a bone-in chicken person, use boneless skinless chicken breasts or chicken thighs cut into 1-inch cubes.
Oil – Use any cooking oil that you prefer. I make this curry in mustard oil.
Marination Ingredients – You will need salt, Kashmiri red chili powder, turmeric powder, ginger-garlic paste, and lime juice (or lemon juice).
Adjust the red chili powder according to your taste. You can replace Kashmiri red chili powder with cayenne pepper powder.
Spice Mix – This curry gets its flavor from a freshly ground spice mix made using whole spices, such as whole coriander seeds (dhaniya seeds), cloves (laung), peppercorns (kali mirch), cinnamon (dalchini), green cardamoms (hari elaichi), cumin seeds, and Kasuri methi.
Fresh Ingredients – You will need red onions, tomatoes, green chilies, and cilantro (fresh coriander leaves).
To puree the tomatoes, chop them roughly and add them to a blender. Blend until smooth. You can replace fresh pureed tomatoes with canned tomato paste or tomato puree.
Others – You will also need dry red chilies and plain yogurt (dahi, curd).
You can add some garam masala and black pepper powder at the end of cooking to make the curry even more flavorful.
How To Make Murgh Masala
Marinate The Chicken
Wash 2 lb (1 kg) bone-in skinless chicken (cut into 1 and ½-inch pieces) with water and transfer the pieces to a large mixing bowl.
Add the following ingredients to the bowl and mix well using your fingers.
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon Kashmiri red chili powder
- ½ teaspoon turmeric powder
- 1 tablespoon ginger garlic paste
- 1 tablespoon lime juice
Cover the bowl with a lid and set it aside.
Make The Spice Mix
Add the following ingredients to a skillet.
- 2 tablespoon whole coriander seeds
- 4-5 cloves
- 8-10 whole black peppercorns
- 1-inch piece of cinnamon stick
- 3-4 green cardamoms
- 1 teaspoon cumin seeds
- 1 tablespoon Kasuri methi
Dry roast on low heat until fragrant and slightly browned (1-2 minutes).
Remove the skillet from the heat and let the ingredients cool down for 5 minutes.
Transfer them to a grinder and grind them to make a fine powder. Set aside.
Make Chicken Masala Curry
In A Pan Over Stovetop
Heat 3 tablespoon mustard oil in a large wide pan over medium-high heat.
Add the marinated chicken pieces to the pan and cook for 8-10 minutes until lightly browned. Flip a few times while cooking.
Remove the pieces to a plate.
Add the remaining 2 tablespoon oil to the same pan and heat over medium-high heat.
Once the oil is hot, add 2-3 whole dry red chilies (remove the stalks) and 1 cup of chopped red onions. Cook for 8-10 minutes until the onions are golden brown.
Stir at regular intervals while cooking.
Add 1 cup pureed tomatoes and 2-3 green chilies (slit into half) and cook for 3 minutes.
Now add the following ingredients and the spice mix you made earlier and cook for 2-3 minutes until the oil separates from the sides of the pan.
- 2 teaspoon Kashmiri red chili powder
- ½ teaspoon turmeric powder
- 1 teaspoon salt
Add ½ cup whisked plain yogurt and cook for 2-3 minutes.
Now add the chicken pieces back to the pan and mix well.
Reduce the heat to low.
Cover the pan with a lid and cook for 30-35 minutes or until the chicken is cooked well.
Stir a few times while cooking.
Check for salt and add more if needed.
Add some water if you like thinner gravy, and cook for 2-3 minutes.
Garnish with 2 tablespoon chopped cilantro and serve hot.
In Instant Pot
Press the SAUTE button of the instant pot and add 3 tablespoon mustard oil to it.
Follow the recipe until chicken pieces are added back into the pot.
Add ½ 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.
Check for salt and add more if needed.
Garnish with 2 tablespoon chopped cilantro and serve hot.
In A traditional Pressure Cooker
To make it in a traditional pressure cooker, follow the steps until the fried chicken is back in the pan.
Now close the lid of the cooker and pressure cook for 2 whistles on high heat.
Remove the cooker from heat and let the pressure release naturally.
Open the lid, garnish with cilantro, and serve.
Pro Tips By Neha
For a taste change, you can add cashew paste, almond paste, sesame seeds paste, poppy seeds paste, coconut milk (coconut cream), or fresh coconut paste to this chicken masala curry recipe.
Replace mustard oil with coconut oil to give the curry a South Indian twist. You can also use olive oil or ghee to make this curry.
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.
Adjust the red chili powder according to your taste.
Add some unsweetened 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.
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Chicken Masala Curry Recipe
Ingredients
To Marinate The Chicken
- 2 pounds bone-in skinless chicken (1 kg, cut into 1 and ½ inch pieces)
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon Kashmiri red chili powder
- ½ teaspoon turmeric powder
- 1 tablespoon ginger garlic paste
- 1 tablespoon lime juice
To Make The Spice Mix
- 2 tablespoons whole coriander seeds (dhaniya seeds)
- 4-5 cloves (laung)
- 8-10 black peppercorns (kali mirch)
- 1 inch piece of cinnamon stick (dalchini)
- 3-4 green cardamoms (hari elaichi)
- 1 teaspoon cumin seeds
- 1 tablespoon Kasuri methi
To Make The Curry
- 5 tablespoons mustard oil (divided, or any other cooking oil)
- 2-3 whole dry red chilies (stalks removed)
- 1 cup chopped red onions
- 1 cup pureed fresh tomatoes (or 4 tablespoon tomato paste or ½ cup canned tomato puree)
- 2-3 green chilies (slit in half)
- 2 teaspoons Kashmiri red chili powder
- ½ teaspoon turmeric powder
- 1 teaspoon salt (or to taste)
- ½ cup plain yogurt (dahi, curd) (whisked)
- 2 tablespoons chopped cilantro (fresh coriander leaves)
Instructions
Marinate The Chicken
- Wash the chicken with water and transfer the pieces to a large mixing bowl.
- Add salt, red chili powder, turmeric powder, ginger garlic paste, and lime juice to the bowl and mix well using your fingers.
- Cover the bowl with a lid and set it aside.
Make The Spice Mix
- Add coriander seeds, cloves, black peppercorns, cinnamon, green cardamoms, cumin seeds, and Kasuri methi to a skillet.
- Dry roast on low heat until fragrant and slightly browned (1-2 minutes).
- Remove the skillet from the heat and let the ingredients cool down for 5 minutes.
- Transfer them to a grinder and grind to make a fine powder. Set aside.
Make Chicken Masala Curry In A Pan Over Stovetop
- Heat 3 tablespoon mustard oil in a large wide pan over medium-high heat.
- Add the marinated chicken to the pan and cook for 8-10 minutes until lightly browned. Flip a few times while cooking.
- Remove the chicken pieces to a plate and keep aside.
- Add the remaining 2 tablespoon oil to the same pan and heat over medium-high heat.
- Once the oil is hot, add dry red chilies and onions. Cook for 8-10 minutes until the onions are golden brown.
- Stir at regular intervals while cooking.
- Add tomatoes and green chilies and cook for 3 minutes.
- Now add red chili powder, turmeric powder, salt, and the spice mix you made earlier and cook for 2-3 minutes until the oil starts to separate from the sides of the pan.
- Add yogurt and cook for 2-3 minutes.
- Now add the chicken pieces back to the pan and mix well.
- Reduce the heat to low.
- Cover the pan with a lid and cook for 30-35 minutes or until the chicken is cooked well.
- Stir a few times while cooking.
- Check for salt and add more if needed.
- Add some water if you like thinner gravy and cook for 2-3 minutes.
- Garnish with cilantro and serve hot.
absoulutly delesious
This dish is out of this world! Will make again and again and again.
Great recipe! Thanks for sharing it!
Absolutely delicious!
Loved it!
Just tried this recipe tonight. My hubby loves it!
Yayyy 🙂