Punjabi Chicken With Bone Recipe

Prepare and marinate

Pat the bone-in chicken pieces dry and make a few shallow slashes in thicker pieces so marinade penetrates. In a bowl, combine plain yogurt, 1 tbs ginger paste, 1 tbs garlic paste, turmeric powder, 0.75 tsp chili powder, 1 tsp salt (adjust later), and 1 tsp ground coriander. Coat the chicken thoroughly with this marinade. Cover and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes (up to 4 hours for deeper flavor).

Heat spices and brown onions

Heat vegetable oil and ghee in a heavy-bottomed pot over medium heat. Add cumin seeds, bay leaf, cardamom, cloves, and cinnamon stick and toast for 30 seconds until fragrant. Add the sliced onions and a pinch of salt. Sauté, stirring frequently, until onions are deep golden brown (12–15 minutes). This step builds the base flavor—do not rush or burn.

Add ginger-garlic and tomatoes

Add the remaining 1 tbs ginger paste and 1 tbs garlic paste to the browned onions. Cook 1–2 minutes until the raw aroma dissipates. Stir in chopped tomatoes, 1 tsp ground coriander, ground cumin, and remaining 0.75 tsp chili powder. Cook until tomatoes break down and oil begins to separate from the masala (6–8 minutes). If mixture sticks, add 1–2 tbs water and scrape the fond.

Sear the chicken

Remove chicken from the marinade letting excess drip off (reserve marinade). Increase heat to medium-high. Add the marinated chicken pieces to the pot in a single layer; sear for 2–3 minutes per side until lightly browned. Spoon in any reserved marinade and stir gently to coat the chicken with the masala.

Simmer into gravy

Pour in 600 ml water to the pot (enough to create a gravy that just covers the chicken about halfway). Add salt to taste. Bring to a gentle boil, then reduce heat to low, cover partially, and simmer for 30–35 minutes, stirring occasionally, until chicken is cooked through and tender and the gravy has slightly reduced. For thicker gravy, simmer uncovered the last 8–10 minutes.

Finish seasoning

Once the chicken is tender, crush kasuri methi between your palms and sprinkle into the gravy along with garam masala and lemon juice (if using). Stir gently and simmer 2 more minutes. Taste and adjust salt and chili. Turn off heat and stir in chopped cilantro.

Rinse the basmati rice under cold water until the water runs clear to remove surface starch. Drain well.

In a medium saucepan, bring 3.25 cups water to a boil with 0.5 tsp salt and 1 tbs oil or ghee. Add the drained rice, stir once, and return to a boil. Reduce heat to low, cover tightly, and simmer for 12–15 minutes until water is absorbed and rice is tender. Remove from heat and let rest, covered, for 5 minutes. Fluff with a fork before serving.

If desired, quickly heat 1 tbs oil in a small pan and fry the julienned fresh ginger until slightly crisp (30–45 seconds) for a crunchy garnish. Scatter the fried ginger, chopped cilantro, and optional slit green chilies over the finished chicken just before serving.

Serve the Punjabi chicken hot with the steamed basmati rice on the side. Offer extra lemon wedges and yogurt or raita if desired.