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Punjabi chicken masala recipe

Punjabi chicken masala recipe

7 ratings

Romy Gill says: "I was raised in West Bengal, but my parents are from Jalandhar in Punjab in northwestern India. As a result, food from this region shaped my upbringing. This chicken curry is what Punjabi food is all about – it balances the flavours of garlic, ginger, onions, tomatoes and garam masala. I’ve eaten this chicken dish with paratha since I was a young girl." See method

  • Serves 6
  • 5 mins to prepare and 1 hr 10 mins to cook
  • 157 calories / serving
  • Freezable
  • Healthy
  • Gluten-free

Ingredients

  • 12 chicken drumsticks, skin removed
  • 1½ tsp ground turmeric​
  • ½ lemon, juiced
  • 2 medium onions, roughly chopped
  • 200g fresh tomatoes, chopped
  • 6 tsp ghee or sunflower oil
  • 6 large garlic cloves, grated
  • 20g fresh ginger, peeled and grated
  • 3 green bird’s-eye chillies, chopped, seeds left in
  • 1 tsp dried fenugreek leaves
  • 2 tsp garam masala
  • 2 tbsp Greek yogurt, whisked
  • paratha and rice, to serve (optional)

Each serving contains

  • Energy

    660kj
    157kcal     8%

  • Fat

    6g 8%

  • Saturates

    2g 12%

  • Sugars

    4g 5%

  • Salt

    1.1g 18%

of the reference intake
Carbohydrate 6.6g Protein 19.9g Fibre 1.5g

Method

  1. Prick each drumstick all over with a fork and put in a mixing bowl. Add ½ tsp turmeric, ½ tsp salt and the lemon juice, toss to coat. Set aside.
  2. Put the onions in a blender with 75ml water and blitz to a purée, then scrape into a bowl; set aside. Blitz the tomatoes to a purée; set aside.
  3. Melt 4 tsp ghee in a wok over a medium heat, then cook the onion purée for 3 mins. Add the garlic and ginger and cook for 8 mins, stirring frequently. Add the chillies and tomato purée and cook for 5 mins.
  4. Reduce the heat to low. Stir in the fenugreek, garam masala, the remaining turmeric, 1 tsp salt and the yogurt. Cook for 5 mins.
  5. Melt the remaining ghee in a frying pan over a medium heat. Cook the chicken for 15 mins until golden. Transfer to the pan with the sauce. Increase the heat; cook for 2 mins. Stir in 375ml water, bring to the boil, then reduce the heat. Cover and simmer for 30 mins or until the chicken is cooked through. Serve with paratha and rice, if you like.

Freezing and defrosting disclaimer

In order to enjoy optimum flavour and quality, frozen items are best used within 3 months of their freezing date. For more tips on freezing and defrosting food, read out article Love Your Freezer. 

See more Curry recipes

For top tips on protecting you and your family when preparing raw meat and poultry, visit Food Safety in the Home.

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