Achar Chicken
This easy flavorful Achar Chicken will have you wondering why you ever used a boxed mix when this version is SO MUCH BETTER!
- Prep time
- 10 min
- Cook time
- 35 min
- Yield
- 4 servings
- Difficulty
- HARD
Ingredients
- 400 g boneless chicken cut into 1 inch cubes (OR 750-ish g bone in)
- 1 onion finely diced (100-120g)
- 1.5 tsp garlic paste or freshly minced garlic
- 1.5 tsp ginger paste or freshly minced ginger
- 3-4 tbsp Achar Masala (recipe below or use store-bought)
- 3 tomatoes, finely chopped or pureed (approx 3/4-1 cup or 300g)
- 3 tbsp yogurt, whipped
- Juice of one Lemon
- 1 tbsp tomato paste (optional, see notes)
- 1/4 cup Oil for cooking
- 1/2 tbsp saunf/ anise (can pound in a mortar or pestle for a finer texture )
- 3/4 tbsp coriander powder (roasted if you have it)
- 3/4 tsp chili flakes
- 3/4 tsp chilli powder (tip: if you have it use 1 tsp kashmiri chili powder instead for lovelier flavour and color!)
- 3/4 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp nigella seeds (kalonji)
- 1/2 tsp mustard seeds (rai)
- 1/2 tsp cumin seeds
- 1/4 tsp fenugreek seeds (methi dana)
Instructions
- 1
Combine the achar masala.
- 2
Heat oil in a saute pan or wok that has a lid on medium heat
- 3
Add your diced onions and cook until they take on a golden color
- 4
Now add your achar spices, ginger and garlic and et them roast in that oil for about 45 seconds
- 5
Add your chicken and saute for 2-3 minutes until it changes colour
- 6
Now stir in your tomatoes and simmer covered for 20 minutes or until your chicken is tender. If your boneless chicken is chewy then simply add 1/3 cup of water and simmer for another 10-15 minutes.
- 7
Once the chicken is cooked through take some of your masala and add it to your yoghurt and then slowly mix the yoghurt back into the achar chicken.
- 8
Turn the heat up a little and saute until the oil rises above the masala.
- 9
Adjust seasoning, adding a squeeze of lemon juice if needed, and then add in your green chilies, cook for another minute or so and dig in!