Chicken Curry : Simple and quick recipe in 30 minutes

Chicken Curry is nowadays like a staple food in most of the households. Kids have become so picky and fussy eater nowadays that parents have to find new and unique recipes everyday to at least make them sit and eat. For my kids I can say chicken and eggs are ultimate savior for me. Like for chicken you can give them in any form, any recipes, they will eat the last crumb with supreme pleasure. Similarly, eggs are their all-time favorite too. So chicken curry and egg curry are the most common dishes on my table, be it on weeknights or weekends.

This simple chicken curry can be an on-the-go recipe for you as well and proved to be easier and quick dinner on weeknights. Kids always like it too, which is an added advantage for you. Just mix in all the basic dry spices with the chicken pieces and cook in onion and tomato gravy on medium heat. You can make it slightly sweet or extra spicy by adding some extra flavors if you wish. You can even make it richer and more aromatic by adding some heavy cream or coconut milk.

The important thing is there can never be a specific recipe for a simple chicken curry. Every cook makes it differently by putting their personal touch and preferred spices in it. Whatever you mix in it, it will never fail to be a good dish and nothing can go wrong in whichever way you make it.
So today I am giving you one of the easiest and simplest recipe of Chicken Curry for weeknights dinner, cooked with some basic ingredients available in your kitchen .

Ingredients:

Chicken: Cut in medium pieces OR Chicken wings (or in any form available in your freezer): 2 lbs/1 kg

To Marinate:
Yogurt: Half cup
Salt : 1 tbsp
Turmeric powder: 1 tbsp
Red chili powder: 1/2 tbsp
Kashmiri red chili powder (optional) : 1/2 tbsp
Chicken Curry masala (optional) : 1 tbsp
Oil: 1 tbsp.

For Gravy:
Onion : 2 medium or 1 1/2 big
Tomato : 1 medium size
Potato : cut in cube (5-6 cubes, add more or less as per your choice)
Ginger paste : 1 tbsp
Garlic paste : 1/2 tbsp or more if preferred
Turmeric powder : 1/2 tsp
Red chili powder : 1/4 tsp
Garam masala powder : 1 tsp
Whole garam masala (cloves, cinnamon and cardamom)
Dry Red Chili : 1 -2
Bay Leaves : 1-2
Salt to taste
Sugar : 1 tsp
Cilantro / Coriander leaves : to garnish

How to make the chicken curry:

1. Wash the chicken thoroughly and pat them dry with the paper towel.
2. Marinate the chicken pieces with all the ingredients mentioned above and keep it for at least 10-15 minutes (you can keep the marinated chicken for long if you want, like 30 minutes)
3. Heat oil in a pan or wok and fry the potato cubes till golden brown. Keep them aside and now temper the oil with the whole spices, dry red chili and bay leaves. Add the sliced onions when the aroma comes and fry them in medium heat. You can add some salt and sugar while frying, it will help to bring a nice caramelized color.
4. Once onions are fried and translucent, add the tomato and ginger garlic paste and fry together covering the pan for 5-6 minutes on low-medium heat. Then add the dry ingredients like turmeric powder, chili powder and garam masala powder. Fry the whole thing on low heat till oil separates.
5. Now add the marinated chicken (with the marinade sauce too) as well as the fried potatoes and mix all of them nicely on medium heat. Once you mix them thoroughly add 2 cups of warm/hot water and cook covered for 10-12 minutes till the chicken gets soft and cooked nicely. Adjust salt and sugar according to your taste.
6. If you want to put some more flavor like coconut cream or heavy cream, add at this point when the curry is almost done. Mix them nicely and let it cook for another 5 minutes and switch off the heat. Sprinkle some cilantro on top and cover it to give some standing time.
Serve with steaming rice or naan or simple roti. Put some onion and cucumber slices aside to add that extra pinch and enjoy....