Chicken Jalfrezi Recipe
Chicken breast | julienned mixed peppers | spiced tomato
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Ingredients
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Marinade
Sauce & Vegetables
Spices
Finishing
Method
Marinade
- 1
Prepare and marinate chicken
Cut the chicken breasts into 1/2-inch strips (julienne). In a bowl combine yogurt, minced garlic, grated ginger, ground cumin, ground coriander, turmeric and 3/4 tsp salt. Add the chicken strips, toss to coat thoroughly. Cover and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes, up to 2 hours (can be brief if short on time).
Sauce & Vegetables
- 2
Cook whole spices and aromatics
Heat 2 tablespoons of oil in a large skillet or wok over medium-high heat until shimmering. Add cumin seeds and let them sizzle for 20–30 seconds until fragrant. Add the thinly sliced onion and sauté 5–7 minutes until softened and just starting to brown.
- 3
Add peppers and green chili
Add the julienned green, red and yellow bell peppers and the sliced green chili to the pan. Stir-fry 3–4 minutes so peppers stay slightly crisp but begin to soften.
- 4
Build the tomato base
Push the vegetables to the side of the pan. Add the remaining 1 tablespoon oil in the cleared space and stir in the tomato paste for 30 seconds to caramelize slightly. Add the chopped tomatoes (or crushed canned tomatoes), 1 tsp ground cumin, 1 tsp ground coriander, 1/2 tsp red chili powder and 1/2 tsp garam masala. Mix everything together, reduce heat to medium, and simmer 6–8 minutes until the tomatoes break down and the mixture becomes a cohesive sauce. Add 1/4 cup water or stock if it looks too dry.
Cook Chicken
- 5
Cook marinated chicken
Increase heat to medium-high. Add the marinated chicken strips (including any remaining marinade) to the pan, spreading them into a single layer as much as possible. Cook, stirring occasionally, 6–8 minutes until the chicken is cooked through and the edges get lightly browned. If sauce reduces too much, add another tablespoon of water.
- 6
Finish with seasoning
Taste and adjust salt (add about 1/2 tsp more if needed). Sprinkle the kasuri methi over the curry, if using, and stir in 1 tablespoon lemon juice and 2 tablespoons chopped cilantro. Cook 1 minute more to marry flavors.
Serve
- 7
Transfer Chicken Jalfrezi to a serving dish. Garnish with extra cilantro if desired. Serve hot with steamed basmati rice, naan or roti.
