Restaurant Style Chicken Handi

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: Indian, North Indian

Keyword: Chicken Handi Recipe, Restaurant Style Chicken Handi recipe, North Indian Chicken Curry recipe

Author: Maria Jose Martin

This North Indian style chicken curry is packed with flavors and has a rich gravy. Super easy to make and it tastes great with rice and roti.

500 gms Chicken, cut into medium size pieces measured after cleaning, refer notes
1/2 tsp Cumin seeds
1 medium Onion finely chopped
1 tbsp. Ginger garlic crushed
2 medium Tomatoes chopped
1/2 cup Water
1/2 cup Plain yogurt, whisked smoothly @ room temp
1/2 tsp. Turmeric powder
1/4 tsp. Cumin powder
1/2 tsp Fennel powder
1.5-2 tsp. Coriander powder
3 tsp. Kashmiri chilli powder
2-3 slit Green chillies
1/2 tsp. Garam masala powder
1 tbsp. Crushed Kasuri methi leaves dry roasted for 1-2 mins
8-10 Cashew nuts, soaked in hot water for 10 mins
1 tbsp Butter I used unsalted
Handful of chopped coriander leaves
Salt to taste
2-3 tbsp Oil I used sunflower oil
1/2 tsp Sugar

Heat 2-3 tbsp oil in a wide pan.
Add half a teaspoon of cumin seeds. Once the seeds start to crackle, add one chopped onion. Cook till it's golden brown in colour.
Add crushed ginger garlic and cook for 2-3 mins or till the raw smell goes.
Add two medium chopped tomatoes, salt and cook till tomatoes soften.
Add smoothly whisked yogurt (@room temp) to the above and mix well.
Add all the spice powders (turmeric, cumin, fennel, coriander & kashmiri chilli powder) except garam masala and kasuri methi.
Mix everything well and let this gravy cook for approximately 5 minutes, so that the yogurt completely cooks through. Let it cook till oil starts appearing.
Add cleaned chicken pieces and green chilli. Stir well and cook the chicken pieces on medium flame for 3-4 mins till the color starts changing.
Add half cup of water, bring it to boil. Reduce flame to lowest. Cover and cook till chicken is almost done.
Once the chicken has cooked through, cook the gravy to the consistency that you like. This dish has a thick gravy consistency.
Next add garam masala and dry roasted crushed kasuri methi leaves. Mix well.
Grind the soaked cashew to a smooth paste. Add this along with butter to the curry and gently mix everything. Add half tsp of sugar, to balance the flavours. Cook on lowest flame for 2-3 mins. Remove from fire.
Garnish with some coriander leaves and all done!

I used bone in chicken pieces for this recipe, since that's what I had. However it tastes best with boneless chicken thigh pieces.

Also, the original recipe uses 2 tbsp heavy cream instead of cashew paste and butter.