Easy Chicken Masala

The easy chicken masala is a very versatile dish. It is very easy to prepare and requires only a few key ingredients that you may already have in your pantry. It is totally up to you to spice up the dish.

The easy chicken masala dish was the first Indian recipe that I ever learnt to cook in my dorm, where I made it in an electric rice cooker with store bought ginger-garlic paste, canned tomato puree, and cilantro paste! Now I make this dish very often at home as its one of my absolute favorites (and, of course with fresh ingredients!)

How to make easy chicken masala?

As the name suggests, easy chicken masala is very easy to make! The main ingredients to make this dish are: chicken, chopped onions, diced tomatoes or tomato puree, chili powder, ginger-garlic paste, pepper-cumin powder, and lots of fresh cilantro and curry leaves.

I begin by cleaning and washing the chicken pieces. I like my chicken pieces to be small and bite sized; it helps to absorb the yummy masala into the chicken pieces. I use a large pan to make this dish.

Place the pan on medium-high heat and add oil to to it. Once the oil is hot, add onions and sauté until they become golden brown. Now add chili powder and turmeric powder to the onions and sauté until the smell of the spices dissipates. If you are a person who does not like very spicy dishes, begin with a tsp or less of chili powder and add more later. We also add ground pepper-cumin as a last step to this dish which also adds to the spiciness.

Next step is to add tomato puree or diced tomatoes. If you are using tomato puree wait until the gravy thickens up before adding the chicken; or if you are using diced tomatoes wait for the tomatoes to soften before adding the chicken. Now add the chicken pieces and salt. Let it cook for 5 minutes or so, you will notice the chicken releasing its juices. Now add a cup of warm water to the chicken; and give everything a good stir and taste. Check for salt and spiciness and add more if needed.

Once the chicken has cooked completely, check the consistency of the masala or gravy. It should be quite thick and not runny. Now add ginger-garlic paste and pepper-cumin powder and stir everything. You will notice that the masala or gravy thickens up further. Add fresh cilantro leaves and curry leaves and turn off the heat.

Serving suggestions

This Easy Chicken Masala can be served with any of the following as a side dish: steamed white rice, chappathis, rotis, tortillas, parathas.

Try it and let me know how the dish turns out. Click here for more chicken recipes.

Happy cooking!

Directions with pictures

1. Clean and wash the chicken. Keep it aside.
2. Heat a large kadai or frying pan; add oil to it
3. While the pan is heating (medium-high heat), chop both the onions finely and puree the tomatoes (or you can chop the tomatoes finely)

4. Add onions to the pan after the oil has become hot

5. Sauté the onions until they turn golden brown

6. Now add chili powder and turmeric powder to the golden brown onions

7. Sauté for a minute or two until the raw smell of chili powder dissipates

8. Next add finely chopped tomatoes or tomato puree and stir until everything comes together. Let it cook for 5-7 minutes

9. Now add the chicken pieces and salt; mix everything and let it cook for 5 minutes. You will notice that the chicken will begin to release its juices

10. Heat a cup of water and add it to chicken; and mix everything and give it a taste to see if u need more salt or chili powder

11. Reduce the heat; and close the lid and let the chicken cook

12. Stir every 10 minutes or so

13. Once chicken is done, you should see a semi gravy consistency in your pan or kadai

14. Add ginger-garlic paste and pepper-cumin powder

15. Stir everything thoroughly (you will see that the gravy will thicken up immediately)

16. Add 1-2 tsp freshly squeezed lemon juice at this stage and stir (optional step)

17. Add fresh curry leaves and coriander leaves; and remove from heat

18. Serve with hot white rice, chappathis, rotis, and tacos (to serve with tacos use boneless chicken)!

Try the Easy Chicken Masala in your kitchen and let me know how it turns out. Don’t forget to subscribe for more yummy recipes! Thank you!!