Bombay Recipe

Prep

Pat the chicken pieces dry and set aside. Drain and rinse the chickpeas. Measure and have spices and aromatics ready (onion, garlic, ginger, tomato paste, canned tomatoes, stock).

Heat a large deep skillet or Dutch oven over medium heat. Add the oil and butter. When butter foams, add the finely diced onion and a pinch of salt. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the onion is soft and beginning to brown, about 6–8 minutes.

Add the minced garlic and grated ginger and cook 1 minute until fragrant.

Stir in the tomato paste and cook 1–2 minutes, stirring constantly, until it darkens slightly (this deepens the flavor).

Add the canned diced tomatoes with their juices and stir to combine. Bring to a gentle simmer.

Pour in the chicken stock (or water) and simmer 5 minutes to meld flavors and slightly reduce the sauce.

Stir the ground coriander, ground cumin, turmeric, garam masala, hot paprika, black pepper, and 1 tsp kosher salt into the simmering tomato-onion mixture. Cook 2–3 minutes to bloom the spices, stirring so they toast slightly and become aromatic.

Add the chicken pieces to the pot, gently stir so they are coated in the sauce, and bring the mixture to a low simmer. Partially cover and cook 8–10 minutes, stirring once, until the chicken is almost cooked through (internal temperature ~160°F / 71°C).

Stir in the drained chickpeas and continue simmering uncovered 6–8 minutes so the chickpeas heat through and the chicken reaches 165°F (74°C). If the sauce becomes too thick, add up to 1/4 cup more stock or water to reach desired consistency.

Reduce the heat to low. Whisk the yogurt (or coconut milk) until smooth. Temper it by stirring a few tablespoons of the hot curry sauce into the yogurt to warm it, then stir the tempered yogurt into the pot to make a creamy sauce. Cook gently 1–2 minutes—do not boil vigorously after adding yogurt to prevent curdling.

Taste and adjust seasoning with remaining 1/2 tsp kosher salt (or more to taste), black pepper, and the optional 1/2 tsp sugar or honey if the tomatoes are very acidic. Stir in the lemon juice.

Remove from heat and fold in half of the chopped cilantro and most of the sliced scallions, reserving some for garnish.

Spoon into bowls or a serving dish. Garnish with remaining cilantro and scallions. Serve hot with steamed basmati rice or naan.