This is the best butter chicken curry I know. The aroma and meat are incredibly tasty. Definitely try it!
I love tearing off old recipes, and as I saw in the book "Curry" that there is a recipe from 1950, this was the first recipe I tried. Of course, as always, I added something of my own. For example, I changed the garlic paste in the marinade and the ginger paste with fresh products. Also, I lengthened the aging of the meat in the marinade for an hour. But it was worth it.
So far, I have associated curry with a yellow shade and coconut flour. I love this version too, but this tomato version is very original and has permanently appeared on our menu.
How to choose the best ingredients for Old Delhi - Style Curry Chicken
Boned chicken thighs: these can be all parts of the chicken, and since the meat is marinated, you can also give chicken breasts.
Cans of tomatoes: the original version added fresh tomatoes, but it is not always possible to get beautiful, ripe tomatoes, and you can successfully replace them with canned ones.
Greek-style yogurt: Greek-style yogurt is gestures fatty yogurt. You can take half a sour cream and natural yogurt if you don't have it.
Green cardamom pods: the best flavor will be when you add green cardamom pods. However, if you only have ground cardamom, you can add ½ tsp.
Cinnamon bark: it's best to choose Ceylon cinnamon. This type in the world is the most appropriate and healthiest. It is also called real cinnamon. It is worth paying attention to the origin of the spices.
Garam Masala: you can use Garam Masala for sale, but you can also try to make your own as you like it in Indian cuisine. The recipe for Garam Masala can be found on my blog.
Top Tip for Success
If you're going to make this recipe, make sure to follow this top tip!
• You can use the yogurt marinade not only for chicken, but also for other meats like turkey, lamb, or even vegetables for grilling.
• This marinade works great for skewers — just cut the meat into smaller pieces and let it sit for a few hours.
• You can also use leftover grilled or roasted meat for this curry — it’s a great way to give it a second life and add even more flavor.
• For a deeper flavor, marinate the chicken overnight if you have time.
• If the sauce feels too thick, add a splash of water or broth to loosen it.
• Let the curry simmer gently — this helps all the spices blend together and develop a richer taste.
• If you like it spicier, add a bit more chili or fresh ginger.
• Taste at the end and adjust seasoning — sometimes it just needs a pinch of salt or a squeeze of lemon juice.
• This curry tastes even better the next day, so it’s perfect for meal prep.
• Serve it with rice, naan, or flatbread to soak up all the sauce.
How to serve chicken curry
Traditionally, chicken curry is served with naan bread or orzo rice. However, this sauce will also go well with pasta or mashed potatoes if you want to modify it to suit your taste buds. You can also add an Italian touch, such as ciabatta, preferably grilled, or French bread.
How to store Old Delhi - Style Curry Chicken
You should store the dish in a closed container in the fridge for up to 3 days. You can also freeze it and store it for up to a month, but I want to point out that defrosting the dish slightly changes the taste. However, if there is no other option, it is always better than letting it go to waste.
If you enjoyed this recipe, you might also be interested in these dishes
The Best Spicy Creamy Chicken Curry
Old Delhi - Style Curry Chicken
Ingredients
Method
- Peel the chicken pieces into pieces for skewers.
- Prepare the marinade in a bowl so that all the chicken pieces fit.
- Ginger, cut into small pieces, add squeezed or finely chopped garlic, add salt, chili powder, lemon juice, and Garam Masala. Mix everything thoroughly. Put chicken pieces in the marinade and leave them in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes.
- Then add the yogurt to the dry marinade and mix everything thoroughly. Set aside for another 30 minutes in the refrigerator.
- The marinade is very important because it influences the taste of the meat, so it is worth devoting this time to the meat lingering in the marinade. You can even put the meat in the marinade with yogurt all night long.
- When the meat is ready, you can start grilling the skewers on a clayey or grill pan or baking it in the oven.
- While the chicken is cooking, make the sauce.
- Pour the cans of tomatoes into the pot or deep frying pan with the back of the wok.
- And add the finely chopped ginger, pressed garlic, whole cardamom seeds and cloves, a piece of cinnamon bark, and bay leaf.
- Cook until the tomatoes fall apart for about 30 minutes on a slow fire.
- Then take the pot off the heat and blend the sauce thoroughly with a hand blender.
- Pour the sauce back into the pot and bring to a boil. Add the whole chili peppers and chili powder. When everything boils, I add pieces of butter. The sauce will become glossy.
- Add grilled pieces of chicken and cream, and mix.
- When the sauce gets too thick, add a little water and bring it to a boil again.
- Add salt and ground fenugreek and garam masala. Mix it thoroughly. If necessary, add sugar to taste
- Serve with a Naan bread or rice.
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