Bold, spicy, and full of flavors, chicken masala is a delicious Indian chicken curry, where marinated chicken is cooked in tomato-onion gravy. Serve it with Chapati and Kachumber Salad for a hearty meal. Here is how to make it.
You can also try some of my other favorite Indian chicken curries, that can be enjoyed for an everyday meal – 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 is marinated first 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.
It is the most simple home style curry which is great for beginner cooks.
Chicken is marinated with lemon juice, ginger-garlic paste, and red chili powder and set aside for about an hour so that it soaks up all the flavors nicely. This marinated chicken is then cooked along with onions, tomatoes, and everyday spices to make a spicy and flavourful curry.
This one is a super easy chicken curry, that can also be prepared for your weekday treats, and the best part it is prepared with everyday ingredients.
This chicken masala is also a popular recipe, that can be found in most of the North Indian Non-Veg Restaurants and if you want that same restaurant-style taste, do make this recipe at home.
This Chicken Masala is,
- Delicious
- Protein Rich
- Comforting
- Easy to make
- Perfect for house parties
Ingredients
Chicken – I have used skinless bone-in chicken to make this curry as it gives it a delicious flavor but you can use boneless chicken too.
Mustard Oil – I love the taste mustard oil brings to non-veg curries and therefore I mostly use this oil only.
If you don’t have mustard oil, you can use any vegetable oil or ghee to make this curry.
Marination Ingredients – In this recipe, chicken is marinated with a set of ingredients such as lime juice, ginger-garlic paste, and red chili powder. At least keep the marinated chicken for an hour, so that it soaks up the flavor nicely.
You can adjust the amount of red chili powder according to your taste.
Onions, Green Chillies, and Tomato – The base of this curry is made with a spicy tomato onion masala, in which marinated chicken is added later to make a delicious curry.
Green chilies are added to add more spicy flavor to the curry. If you like it to be less spicy, you can avoid adding green chilies, as we have marinated the chicken in red chili powder.
Whole Spices and Spice Powders – For whole spices, I have used cloves, peppercorns, cinnamon, cardamom, and dry red chilies and for spice powders, coriander powder, turmeric powder, cumin powder, and fennel powder are required.
When the whole spices are added to the hot oil, they release a delicious aroma along with making the curry flavourful. Crushing the spices slightly before adding in the oil is best to release their flavors.
How to make Chicken Masala?
Wash 1 lb (500 g) bone-in skinless chicken well with water and transfer it to a large glass bowl. Add 1 tbsp lime juice, 1 tbsp ginger-garlic paste, and 2 tsp Kashmiri red chili powder to the chicken 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.
Heat 3 tbsp mustard oil in a pressure cooker. If you don’t have mustard oil, you can cook the curry in any oil of your choice.
Once the oil is hot, add 3-4 whole cloves, 5-6 whole peppercorns, 1-inch piece of cinnamon stick, 2 whole green cardamoms, and 2-3 whole dry red chilies (remove the stalks) and fry them for 3-4 seconds. Slightly crush the whole spices in a mortar before adding them to the cooker for the best flavor.
Add 1 cup chopped onion and fry on medium-high heat until it turns golden brown (8-10 minutes). Keep stirring at regular intervals while frying.
Add 2 tsp coriander powder, ½ tsp turmeric powder, ½ tsp cumin powder, and ½ tsp fennel powder and fry until oil starts to separate from the sides (2-3 minutes). Add 2 tbsp 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 tomato, 2-3 green chili (slit into half), and salt to taste and cook for 2-3 minutes.
Add ½ 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 tsp garam masala powder and 2 tbsp chopped cilantro and mix well.
Serve hot with Naan or Phulka.
Instant Pot Chicken Masala
- Wash the chicken well with water and transfer it to a large glass bowl. Add lime juice, ginger-garlic paste, and Kashmiri red chili powder to the chicken 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.
- Press SAUTE button of the instant pot.
- When it says HOT, add the mustard oil to the pot.
- If you don’t have mustard oil, you can cook the curry in any oil of your choice.
- Once the oil is hot, add whole cloves, whole peppercorns, a piece of cinnamon stick, green cardamoms, and whole dry red chilies and fry them for 2-3 seconds. Slightly crush the whole spices in a mortar before adding to the oil for the best flavor.
- Add the chopped onion 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 (2-3 minutes). Add 2 tbsp 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 grated tomato, green chili (slit into half), and salt to taste and cook for 2-3 minutes.
- 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.
- 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 chopped cilantro and mix well.
- Serve hot with Naan or Phulka.
Frequently Asked Questions
In chicken masala, chicken is marinated with limited ingredients and then cooked in a tomato-onion masala curry, whereas in Chicken Tikka Masala, chicken is marinated and grilled to make tikkas and then added to the curry.
While chicken masala is a one-pot dish recipe and has a homely touch to it, chicken tikka masala is more of a restaurant-style curry.
Amritsari version is very similar to the classic recipe, the only difference is the use of yogurt in the marination. It is also slightly sweet in taste because of the addition of a little sugar.
Yes, you can use goat mutton or lamb instead of chicken in this recipe, but it takes more time to cook too.
So if you are making this recipe using mutton, make sure that your mutton is properly cooked.
Marinating it for an hour is enough, but if you have time on your hands you can marinate for about 2-3 hours too.
Pro Tips by Neha
You can add some cashew paste, almond paste, sesame seeds paste, poppy seed paste, or coconut paste for a taste change.
Add a little yogurt whisked with 1 tsp of all purpose flour for a slightly different gravy. Flour is added to prevent the yogurt from splitting while cooking. It also makes the gravy creamier.
You can keep this chicken dry, semi dry or with thin gravy as per your requirement.
Bone-in skinless chicken gives the best flavor but you can make the curry using boneless chicken too.
Adjust the chili according to your taste.
You can make the curry in a pan as well. Just cover the pan and cook on low heat until the chicken is tender. It will take approximately 40-45 minutes for the chicken to cook in a pan.
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 along 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. Next, place it into an airtight container, plastic zip-lock bags, or freezable glass meal prep bowls. Place the containers in the freezer and it stays good 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, add a little water, and heat it for about 5 to 8 minutes. Make sure that you stir it occasionally in between.
In the microwave, place the chicken masala curry in a microwave-safe bowl and heat it for 3 minutes. Take it out, stir it using a spoon, and place it back in the microwave. Heat it again for about 3 to 4 minutes or until the chicken is heated properly.
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Recipe Card
Chicken Masala Recipe
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 pound chicken (bone-in)
- 1 tablespoon lime juice
- 1 tablespoon ginger garlic paste
- 2 teaspoons Kashmiri red chili powder
- 3 tablespoon 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 onion
- 2 teaspoons coriander powder
- ½ teaspoon turmeric powder
- ½ teaspoon roasted cumin powder
- ½ teaspoon fennel powder
- 1 cup grated tomato
- 2-3 green chilies (slit in half)
- salt (to taste)
- ½ teaspoon garam masala powder
- 2 tablespoons chopped cilantro
Instructions
- Wash 1 lb (500 g) chicken well with water and transfer it to a large glass bowl. Add 1 tbsp lime juice, 1 tbsp ginger-garlic paste, and 2 tsp Kashmiri red chili powder to the chicken 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.
- Heat 3 tbsp mustard oil in a pressure cooker. If you don’t have mustard oil, you can cook the curry in any oil of your choice.
- Once the oil is hot, add 3-4 whole cloves, 5-6 whole peppercorns, 1-inch piece of cinnamon stick, 2 whole green cardamoms, and 2-3 whole dry red chilies and fry them for 3-4 seconds. Slightly crush the whole spices in a mortar before adding them to the cooker for the best flavor.
- Add 1 cup chopped onion and fry on medium-high heat until it turns golden brown (8-10 minutes). Keep stirring at regular intervals while frying.
- Add 2 tsp coriander powder, ½ tsp turmeric powder, ½ tsp cumin powder, and ½ tsp fennel powder and fry until oil starts to separate from the sides (2-3 minutes). Add 2 tbsp 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 tomato, 2-3 green chili (slit into half), and salt to taste and cook for 2-3 minutes.
- Add ½ cup of water and close the lid of the pressure cooker. Pressure cook the chicken 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 tsp garam masala powder and 2 tbsp chopped cilantro and mix well.
- Serve hot with Naan or Phulka.
Notes
- Wash the chicken well with water and transfer it to a large glass bowl. Add lime juice, ginger-garlic paste, and Kashmiri red chili powder to the chicken 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.
- Press SAUTE button of the instant pot.
- When it says HOT, add the mustard oil to the pot.
- If you don’t have mustard oil, you can cook the curry in any oil of your choice.
- Once the oil is hot, add whole cloves, whole peppercorns, a piece of cinnamon stick, green cardamoms, and whole dry red chilies and fry them for 2-3 seconds. Slightly crush the whole spices in a mortar before adding to the oil for the best flavor.
- Add the chopped onion 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 (2-3 minutes). Add 2 tbsp 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 grated tomato, green chili (slit into half), and salt to taste and cook for 2-3 minutes.
- 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.
- 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 chopped cilantro and mix well.
- Serve hot with Naan or Phulka.
