Chicken Wings Curry - 20 Recipe

Prepare and marinate wings

Pat chicken wings dry with paper towels. In a large bowl combine yogurt, ginger-garlic paste, turmeric, red chili powder and 1.5 tsp salt. Add wings and toss to coat thoroughly. Cover and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes, or up to 4 hours for deeper flavor.

Brown the wings (optional but recommended)

Heat 1 tablespoon of oil in a large heavy-bottomed skillet or Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Remove wings from marinade, letting excess drip off, and sear in batches 2–3 minutes per side until lightly browned. Transfer browned wings to a plate and set aside. (If you prefer a single-pot method skip browning and proceed.)

Temper spices and sweat onions

Reduce heat to medium, add remaining 2 tbsp oil to the same pot. Add cumin seeds and bay leaves; let them sizzle 15–20 seconds until fragrant. Add chopped onion and green chilies. Cook, stirring frequently, until onions are soft and golden brown, about 8–10 minutes. Scrape up any browned bits from the bottom.

Build the sauce

Stir in tomato puree, ground coriander, ground cumin, paprika and 1 tsp salt. Cook the tomato-spice mixture 4–5 minutes, stirring, until the oil starts to separate slightly and the raw tomato smell diminishes.

Simmer wings in curry

Return the browned wings and any accumulated juices to the pot. Stir to coat wings in the sauce. Pour in 400 ml water, bring to a gentle boil, then reduce heat to low, cover and simmer 20–25 minutes, or until wings are cooked through and tender (internal temperature 75°C/165°F). Stir occasionally; if the sauce becomes too thin, simmer uncovered the last 5–7 minutes to reduce to desired thickness.

Finish sauce

Uncover and stir in garam masala. If using, add 1 tbsp butter now and stir until melted and incorporated. Taste and adjust salt or heat if needed.

Turn off heat. Squeeze 1 tbsp lemon juice over the curry and sprinkle chopped cilantro on top. Let the curry rest 5 minutes so flavors meld. Serve hot with rice, naan or roti.