Chicken Wings Curry - 10 Recipe

Prepare and marinate wings

Pat the chicken wings dry with paper towels. In a large bowl combine yogurt, ginger paste, garlic paste, turmeric, ground coriander, salt, and black pepper. Add the wings and toss thoroughly so each piece is coated. Cover and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes, ideally 2 hours. If short on time, 15 minutes still helps flavor.

Bloom whole spices

Heat oil in a large, heavy skillet or Dutch oven over medium heat. Add bay leaf, cinnamon stick, and cardamom pods. Sauté for 30–45 seconds until aromatic but not browned.

Cook onions

Add the finely chopped onion and a pinch of salt. Cook, stirring occasionally, for 8–10 minutes until the onion is soft and turning golden brown. Reduce heat if they begin to burn.

Add ginger and garlic

Add the additional ginger paste and garlic paste from the curry base section. Sauté 1–2 minutes until raw aroma goes away.

Tomato and ground spices

Stir in tomato paste and cook 1 minute. Add crushed tomatoes, ground cumin, ground coriander, paprika, garam masala, and cayenne. Cook, stirring occasionally, for 6–8 minutes until the tomato mixture thickens and the oil starts to separate slightly at the edges.

Add marinated wings

Remove the wings from the marinade, letting excess drip off (reserve marinade). Increase heat to medium-high and nestle the wings into the tomato-onion sauce in a single layer where possible. Sear for 2–3 minutes per side until lightly browned; they do not need to be fully cooked through.

Simmer

Pour in water or chicken stock and the reserved marinade. Add the salt (adjust) and sugar/honey if using. Bring to a gentle boil, then reduce heat to low, cover partially, and simmer for 20–25 minutes, stirring occasionally, until wings are cooked through and the sauce has reduced and thickened. If the sauce reduces too much, add a splash more water.

Finish with cream

If using, stir in the cream or coconut milk in the last 3–4 minutes of cooking and simmer gently for 2 minutes to meld flavors. Adjust seasoning (salt, heat) to taste. Remove and discard cinnamon stick, bay leaf, and whole cardamom pods if desired.

Turn off heat and sprinkle chopped fresh coriander over the curry. Add sliced green chilies if using. Serve the wings hot with lemon wedges alongside for squeezing over just before eating.

Suggested serving: pair with steamed basmati rice or warm flatbreads (naan/roti). For a complete meal add a simple cucumber-yogurt raita and a green salad.