This recipe has got to be my ‘most made recipe ever from a cook book’
In fact, while talking favourite curries on a food group I belong to, I mentioned this Madhur Jaffrey curry, but then after checking this blog, realised that I’ve never actually blogged this recipe, even after mentioning it a few times over the years!
Big mistake.
Quick, blog.
One day someone will ask me for my favourite chicken curry recipe and here it will be. Phew.
The recipe comes from Madhur Jaffrey’s book ‘Indian Cookery’, first published in 1982 by BBC books. My oldest and most loved Indian cook book.
If you’ve never tried making a curry from scratch before, do try this one, I promise you will not be disappointed!
Chicken in a fried onion sauce
Adapted from the Madhur Jaffrey recipe.
Madhur refers to this recipe as her children’s ‘everyday’ chicken.
Serves 4-6.
1 and a quarter kg chicken joints
350g onions, peeled
4cm cube fresh ginger, peeled and coarsely chopped
6 cloves garlic, peeled
7tbsp vegetable oil
1 tbsp ground coriander seeds
1 tbsp ground cumin seeds
1/2 tsp. ground turmeric
1/4-1/2 tsp. cayenne pepper
4 tbsp plain yoghurt
1 pint (570ml) water
225g tomatoes, peeled and finely chopped (tinned tomatoes may be used)
2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. garam masala
1 tbsp finely chopped fresh green coriander.
1. Cut the chicken into serving pieces and skin all the pieces.
2. Chop half of the onions coarsely, cut remaining onions into halves lengthwise and then finely slice crossways.
3. Put the chopped onions (NOT the sliced ones) ginger and garlic into a processor and blend until you have a paste.
4. Heat the oil in a large, wide pot (I’ve successfully made this recipe with much less oil) over a medium flame, when hot put in the sliced onions, stir and fry until they are a deep reddish-brown, remove the onions and set aside, leaving as much of the oil as possible in the pot.
5. Take the pot off the flame and put in the paste blend. Put the pot back on the heat and fry until the paste is brown, about 3-4 mins. (I’ve never had much success browning the paste, I don’t know why)
6. Now put in the coriander, cumin, turmeric and cayenne, stir, now add the yoghurt tablespoon by tablespoon, making sure after each spoon that it has been incorporated into the sauce.
7. Add the chicken pieces and stir well. Por in the water, add the tomatoes and salt, stir to mix and bring to a simmer.
Cover, turn heat to low and cook for 20 minutes.
8. Sprinkle in the garam masala and fried onions , mix and cook, uncovered, for 7-8 minutes more until the sauce reduces and thickens. Skim off the fat, and sprinkle the fresh coriander over the top.
9. Serve with plenty of steaming, hot Basmati rice.
10. Enjoy!
At Anna’s Kitchen Table 
I must try your fried onion sauce. Looks so good. And I for sure need a second helping of rice~!
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This is a recipe I will surely try. Strangely enough I have all the ingredients and make my own garam massala.
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THis sounds delicious! We love Garam Masala, so adding this to our "must try" list!Thanks for the inspiration.
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I know my mom has this cookbook at home…I may need to borrow it 🙂 Lovely curry~
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Look absolutely nice Anna:)
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Oh, Anna, that looks and sounds so incredibly good!! I wish I was eating it right now 🙂
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Hi Anna,This is a delicious dish!! I haven't had Indian for a while and this sounds just perfect!!XOXO
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awesome curry
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Ok, I definitely have to try this recipe! It looks delicious and exactly like something I would want to eat at home. I just adore curries. You and Joost have really been spreading the virtues of Madhur Jaffrey – I still don't own any of her books! So I will gladly try this recipe soon 🙂
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Do try it! I'm sure you'd love it as much as we all do!
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I have never had chicken curry. This recipe looks and sounds delicious and easy. I think I will try this recipe when my daughter comes home from school for Christmas. I think she would enjoy it.
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It looks lovely, just the thing for tonight when there is snow on the ground. x
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I'm bookmarking this. I want to introduce the girls to Indian flavours and I have just bought some chicken drumsticks 😉
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i'm definitely trying this too, those are the ingredients that go into my most-made curry, but mine looks nothing like that! that fried onion paste is genius!
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Always looking for a new curry recipe to try! Thank you for sharing yet another soul-satisfying recipe. I'm just about to pull out a loaf of banana bread and sit down to a cup of tea. I hope you are having a lovely evening too!
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This looks gorgeous! I'll have to get all these fabulous ingredients and make this soon. Definitely bookmarked this recipe 🙂
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Hi Anna, I'm a bit scared of the 7 tbsp of oil, how many did you manage to successfully reduce it to? Love Madhur Jaffrey, but not tried this one.
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Hi Karen,I've often made this recipe very successfully with much less oil, the onions won't brown as much, but it's still great.I've even made it with only about a tablespoons worth! :-))Hope this helps.
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Have you tried using Ghee?
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This is always served at my boxing day curry feast. I have Madhurs 1982 cookbook – lovely recipies
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I have made this recipe many times. The onion paste takes around 12-20 mins on a medium low heat not 4-5 mins as in the recipe.
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Thankyou for taking the time to comment.
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Indeed. Longer and slower improves the flavour so much.
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