Amada Recipe

Trim and season

Trim excess fat from chicken thighs and cut into 1- to 1.5-inch pieces. Pat dry, then season with 1 tsp salt and 1/4 tsp black pepper. Set aside.

Sweat onions

Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a large skillet or Dutch oven over medium heat. Add the thinly sliced onion and a pinch of salt. Cook, stirring occasionally, until softened and starting to caramelize, about 8–10 minutes. Reduce heat if onions brown too quickly.

Add garlic and ginger

Add minced garlic and ginger to the onions and cook 1–2 minutes until fragrant, stirring so the garlic doesn’t burn.

Cook spices

Push onions to the side of the pan, add remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil, then add ground cumin, coriander, smoked paprika, turmeric, and red chili flakes. Toast the spices 30–45 seconds until aromatic.

Add tomato paste

Stir in the tomato paste and cook 1–2 minutes, allowing it to darken slightly and combine with the spices (this removes raw tomato flavor).

Add tomatoes

Pour in the diced tomatoes with their juices, scraping up any brown bits from the pan. Bring to a simmer and cook 6–8 minutes until slightly reduced.

Finish sauce with coconut milk

Stir in the coconut milk, remaining 1/2 tsp salt, and remaining 1/4 tsp black pepper. Bring the sauce back to a gentle simmer.

Add chicken to sauce

Nestle the seasoned chicken pieces into the simmering sauce in a single layer as much as possible. Spoon sauce over pieces.

Simmer until cooked

Lower heat to medium-low, cover partially, and simmer gently for 12–15 minutes, stirring once or twice, until chicken is cooked through (internal temperature 165°F/74°C) and sauce has thickened slightly.

Adjust seasoning

Taste the sauce and add up to 1/2 tsp more salt if needed, and more chili flakes if you prefer heat.

Brighten and garnish

Stir in the fresh lemon juice and chopped cilantro. Remove from heat.

Serve the Amada hot over cooked basmati rice or with warm naan. Offer plain yogurt on the side to mellow heat if desired.