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Cooked chicken pieces with green chilli and coriander leaves.

Simple Masala Chicken Curry

Delicious Chicken Masala curry is made with tender chicken simmered in spices, onions, and tomatoes, creating a rich and comforting meal enjoyed with rice or bread.
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Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 30 minutes
Marinate Time 30 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 15 minutes
Servings: 6 people
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: Indian
Calories: 430
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

  • 1 kg Chicken legs
  • 1 tbsp Ginger-garlic paste 2 tbsp for marination
  • 1 tsp Turmeric Powder 1 tsp for marination
  • 1 tsp Salt (Adjust to taste) 1 tsp for marination
  • 1.5 tsp Red chilli powder Marination and adjust to taste
  • 2 Medium onion thinly sliced
  • 2 Medium tomatoes
  • 1 tbsp Coriander seeds
  • 1 tbsp Cumin seeds
  • 6 cloves green cardamom
  • 4 green chillies cut in half
  • 2 tbsp Cooking oil
  • 1/2 cup water

Equipment

  • 1 Cooking pot or Kadai
  • 1 marination bowl
  • 1 spatula
  • 1 mortar and pestle or Spice grinder
  • 1 Cutting board
  • 1 Kitchen knife

Method
 

  1. In a large bowl, mix 1 kg chicken with 2 tbsp ginger–garlic paste, 1 tsp turmeric powder, 1 tsp red chilli powder, and 1–1.5 tsp salt.
    Raw chicken pieces in a steel bowl with turmeric, red chili powder, salt, and ginger garlic paste for marination.
  2. Marinate it and set it aside for 30-40 mins to absorb the flavours.
    Raw chicken pieces marinated with turmeric, red chili powder, salt, and ginger garlic paste.
  3. Dry roast 5–6 green cardamom pods, 1 tbsp cumin seeds, and 1 tbsp coriander seeds until fragrant. Grind them into a coarse powder with mortar-pestle or fine powder spice grinder.
    Coarsely ground roasted spices with cardamom, cumin, and coriander in a black mortar and pestle.
  4. Heat 2 tbsp oil in a deep pan or pot. Add the marinated chicken and fry until lightly golden. Remove and keep aside.
    Chicken frying in a large pot.
  5. In the same pan, add 2 thinly sliced onions. Fry until golden brown.
    Frying onion in the cooking pot.
  6. Add 1 tbsp ginger–garlic paste and sauté briefly. Sprinkle in a little water, cover, and cook for 3–4 minutes, until oil begins to separate.
    Onion getting cooked covered in a cooking pot.
  7. Return the fried chicken to the pan and stir well. Cook for 5 minutes.
    Chicken pieces cooking in the pot.
  8. Add the ground spice mix and 2 sliced tomatoes. Mix and cook for another 10 minutes, until the chicken is cooked through and the masala thickens.
    Grounded spices added in into the chicken curry.
  9. Garnish with slit green chillies and fresh coriander leaves. Serve hot with steamed rice, roti, or naan.
    Cooked chicken pieces with green chilli and coriander leaves.

Notes

  • Marination Tip: For deeper flavor, marinate the chicken overnight in the refrigerator.
  • Whole vs Ground Spices: Freshly roasted and ground spices add a bold, aromatic taste, but you can use pre-ground spices if you’re short on time.
  • Onion Cooking: Make sure the onions are fried golden brown before adding chicken — this gives the curry its rich, slightly sweet base.
  • Spice Level: Adjust red chili powder to taste. For a mild curry, use ½ tsp; for extra heat, use 1½ tsp or add green chilies.
  • Consistency: If you prefer more gravy, add ½–1 cup water or chicken stock after adding tomatoes. For a drier masala, cook uncovered until the oil separates.
  • Serving Idea: Tastes best with steamed basmati rice, jeera rice, roti, or naan.
  • Storage: Can be refrigerated for 2–3 days. The flavors actually deepen the next day, making it even tastier.